A long-distance runner has described how COVID-19 made him feel like he was drowning - and warned young people to take the disease seriously.

Daryl Doblados, 29, ran the Cambridge half marathon just 10 days before he was diagnosed with the virus.

The father of two, who has no underlying health conditions, called 111 last Thursday as he struggled to breathe and was told to call an ambulance.

He said: "It just feels like your lungs are filling up with smoke or liquid. I struggled to breathe. I've never experienced anything like this before."

Mr Doblados was discharged from hospital eight hours after his admission, with a consultant advising him to monitor his breathing and to call 111 again if it worsened.


He posted a video of himself on Facebook from his home in Littleport, Cambridgeshire, where he is self-isolating.

"I'm still struggling now on day four of recovery. If I don't concentrate on my breathing then it feels just like you're drowning."

He said he made the video to warn young people to take coronavirus seriously.

"The nature of this virus is that it will get you.

"For the young people out there, we need to make sure that we do this, do this right, we stay away from as many people as possible to stop the spread of infection."

COVID-19 survivor calls for lockdown

His message was echoed by another coronavirus patient who has urged the Irish government to bring in more restrictions on public movement in a bid to stop the spread of the virus.

Micheal Prendergast, 28, told Sky News he developed symptoms shortly after flying home to Ireland from London last week.

Speaking from his bed in an isolation ward at Kerry General Hospital, he said: "If you don't get affected as bad as I have, I guarantee your parents, or your aunts and uncles or your grandparents are going to be. This virus is a killer."

He added: "It's extremely disheartening to see that people are out and about. I would call on the government to make a proactive step - instead of reactive - to have tighter controls on the public."

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