‘My eyes felt like they were on fire’: Hull couple describe how medics in hazmat suits rushed them and their two small children for coronavirus tests after returning from Venice with flu-like symptoms – as they self-isolate awaiting test results
- Callum and Jessica Luana Kerslake, from Hull, were in Venice with their children
- They flew home when they developed high temperatures, coughs and dizziness
- Ambulance crew wearing hazmat suits raced them to be tested on Saturday
- The family of four have now been told to self-isolate until they get the results
A British family has told how emergency crew in hazmat suits raced to their home after they returned from Italy with coronavirus symptoms.
Callum and Jessica Luana Kerslake, from Hull, were in Venice with their two children when they developed high temperatures, a cough and dizziness.
The father-of-two says it felt like his ‘eyes were on fire’ and ‘every hair on his body stood on end’ when he fell ill just hours after arriving in Italy, The Mirror reports.
The family flew into London’s Standsted airport on Thursday wearing surgical masks and returned to their home in Hull – but were raced to be tested when their symptoms persisted.
Callum and Jessica Luana Kerslake, from Hull, were in Venice with their two children when they developed high temperatures, coughs and dizziness
An ambulance crew wearing protective suits took them them to a contagious disease centre three miles from their home on Saturday to take swabs for the highly contagious virus.
The family of four have now been told to self-isolate in their home until they get the results.
Mr Kerslake, 24, said he had flown to meet his wife Jessica, 21, in Dola, in Venice, but quickly fell ill – despite airport security twice taking his temperature.
He told the publication: ‘We’ve never been so sick. I felt like every pore in my body was opening and my eyes felt on fire. Every muscle ached and I couldn’t move.’
The family flew into London’s Standsted airport on Thursday wearing surgical masks and returned to their home in Hull – but were raced to be tested when their symptoms persisted
The father says his children Sophie, three, and 11-month-old CJay had temperatures of up to 40C and ‘can’t stop coughing’.
Upon returning home, they were forced to call NHS 111 after Mrs Kerslake began to develop symptoms and they were raced to hospital to take nose swabs.
Mr Kerslake said: ‘When I’d mentioned we’d been to Italy the woman started asking loads of questions. Ten minutes later we got a call saying an ambulance would arrive.’
The father-of-two says it felt like his ‘eyes were on fire’ and ‘every hair on his body stood on end’ when he fell ill just hours after arriving in Italy
The family have now been told to self-isolate until the results come through, with Mr Kerslake admitting it’s ‘really scary’ not knowing if they have coronavirus.
He is now calling for the government to check passengers arriving back into the country from infected areas.
He told the publication: ‘When I arrived in Italy two different staff took my temperature before I was allowed in, but I walked through Stansted unchecked’.
The British Government prepares to bring in new emergency powers to help stop the virus spreading after ten cases were reported in just three days
The British Government is preparing to bring in new emergency powers to help stop the virus spreading after ten cases were reported in just three days – and 1,000 were tested in the last 24 hours alone.
Emerging clusters in Italy and in Iran, which has had 43 deaths and 593 cases confirmed, have led to infections of people in other countries.
Health chiefs have urged people aged over 60 to avoid crowds amid wide-spread coronavirus panic as an infant school worker is revealed as one of three new UK patients.
The World Health Organisation issued the drastic warning which also urged people in this age group to skip routine appointments at doctors’ surgeries and hospitals.
People wearing face masks in Trafalgar Square, London, as Health chiefs have urged people aged over 60 to avoid crowds