Ex-Irish football star Lee Duffy, 28, could ‘no longer breathe’ and spent week in hospital after contracting coronavirus
FORMER Irish Premiership football star Lee Duffy has opened up about his frightening experience overcoming the coronavirus.
Covid-19 is currently sweeping the globe and the latest figures in Ireland show there are roughly 40,000 people waiting to be tested there.
Duffy, 28, took to Twitter to highlight the danger of the deadly virus, revealing he was hooked up to a ventilator and spent eight days in hospital.
He wrote: "As some of you may or may not know, I tested positive for Covid-19 two weeks ago.
"I spent 8 days in hospital hooked up to oxygen as I could no longer breathe on my own, scared not knowing what was going to happen.
"Luckily I got through it and I’m starting to feel a lot better now.
"My advice to everybody is to not take this lightly, it is very serious."
Former striker Duffy played for Warrenpoint and Drogheda United alongside a number of other League of Ireland clubs during his career.
He then switched to Newry City in the Championship last year.
Wishing Duffy all the best, former club Warrenpoint noted the footy star "is a fit 28-year-old. It attacks all ages."
VIRUS IN IRELAND
Football has been ravaged by the coronavirus outbreak with most competitions around the world axing action until it is safe to resume.
In Ireland, league fixtrures have been suspended until at least April 4 and are expected to be put back even further.
Duffy's news comes as 102 new cases of coronavirus were announced in Ireland yesterday - bringing the all-island total to 893.
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There are now 785 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the Republic of Ireland and 108 in Northern Ireland.
Dublin has the highest number of cases at 55 per cent of the tally up to midnight on March 19, and Cork is second with 15 per cent.
Chief Medical Officer Dr Tony Holohan urged the public to continue to heed government measures to stop the spread of the deadly bug.
