Coronavirus patient's drastic transformation after six-week battle

A coronavirus patient has shared shocking before and after photos of the effects the illness had on his body in a bid to prove 'it can happen to anyone'.

Mike Schultz, a nurse from San Francisco, had no underlying health conditions but was forced to spend six weeks in hospital after contracting the virus, which took a drastic toll on his appearance.

The 43-year-old had attended a party on Miami Beach in March, admitting that he was aware of the risks of COVID-19 but thought he 'was young enough for it not to affect me'.

A week later he went to Boston and said he felt a little a little under the weather, but didn't have a fever.

Within two days his temperature spiked and he struggled to breath, resulting in Mike being rushed to hospital, where he ended up being intubated for four and a half weeks, as reported by BuzzFeed.

Mike, who usually worked out six or seven times a week, entered the hospital weighing 86kg. Now, having been discharged from hospital and weeks after he was able to start eating again, he weighs 63kg.

Posting the shocking before and after pictures on Instagram, Mike wrote: "I wanted to show everyone how badly being sedated for 6 weeks on a ventilator or intubated can be.

"Amongst other things, COVID-19 reduced my lung capacity with pneumonia. Over 8 weeks I've been away from family and friends.

"Getting stronger every day and working to increase my lung capacity. I'll get back to where I was in healthier ways this time... maybe even do cardio."

It's been liked more than 18,000 times and Mike told BuzzFeed the photo on the right exhausted him to stand up to pose for the picture.

He said he was so weak he couldn't hold his phone as it felt so heavy, and his hands were shaking so much he was unable to type.

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