Greta Thunberg Isolated on Concerns She Contracted Coronavirus

(Bloomberg) --

Climate activist Greta Thunberg says she’s been ill and suspects she caught the coronavirus after a trip to central Europe.

In an Instagram post, the Swedish teenager said she’s isolated herself in a borrowed apartment after returning to her home country. She says she started feeling mild symptoms of the disease around the same time her father became more seriously ill.

“I was feeling tired, had shivers, a sore throat and coughed,” Thunberg said. “My dad experienced the same symptoms, but much more intense and with a fever.”

In Sweden, testing for the virus is mostly reserved for people in need of medical treatment or healthcare workers. Thunberg hasn’t been tested, but said “it’s extremely likely that I’ve had it.”

Sweden has so far shunned many of the tougher restrictions imposed elsewhere. It has 2,272 confirmed cases of the virus, with 36 deaths. Thunberg said her symptoms were so mild she would hardly notice them under normal circumstances.

“Many (especially young people) might not notice any symptoms at all, or very mild symptoms,” she said. “Please keep that in mind, follow the advice from experts and your local authorities and #StayAtHome to slow the spread of the virus.”

©2020 Bloomberg L.P.