A WOMAN hospitalised for almost a week with suspected coronavirus has urged people to stay at home and stop panic buying. 

Delia Colwill, from Berkshire, was taken into hospital on Tuesday after showing symptoms of coronavirus. The 47-year-old suffers from a spinal cord injury that affects her nervous system and has chronic pain.

In a video taken from her hospital bed, Ms Colwill said the virus has “absolutely knocked me sideways. I’ve had shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, dizzy, light headed, it just keeps going on and on, aches and pains, chills, headaches … it’s bad,” she said. 

Ms Colwill explained that she wanted to share her experience in the hope that people watching would take the pandemic more seriously and listen to rules on panic buying and social distancing. 

“There is a reason for these policies and they are to protect those that are vulnerable,” she said.

“While that might not be you, it will be someone close to you or someone that you know. I just wanted to show you what the virus looks like.” 

While in hospital, Ms Colwill said she has seen first hand the exhaustion of medical staff responding to the crisis. 

“I can see the staff are tiring. It is getting busy. The pressure is mounting. The need for beds is pressing on me and has done for the last two days.”

However, she said she was struggling to feel better, continuing to feel “weak beyond exhaustion.”

Other people infected with coronavirus have also shared their experiences in online videos.

In one published last week, Andy Hardwick, 51, from Essex, described his symptoms as he gasped for breath and struggled to speak. 

“It does come in waves, you will feel slight relief sometimes, then it will go … This really hurts, it’s like nothing I’ve ever had before, I wouldn’t wish it on my enemy,” said Mr Hardwick.

The 51-year-old made a plea to the public to take the virus seriously.

“Please stay away from each other, respect each other,” he said.

“If our parents or grandparents get this, and they’re vulnerable or not fit, I’d hate to think what it will do to them. They will become a statistic. Stay safe.”