A previously fit and healthy 35-year-old Byron Bay woman has spent two months in isolation as she tries to recover from COVID-19.
Mirabai Nicholson-McKellar contracted coronavirus in Germany in mid-March, but was not diagnosed until she returned to Australia.
For the last 59 days the filmmaker and keen surfer has been alone in her home, other than a brief stint in hospital.
Figures from NSW Health showed it was a rare case.
Half the state's COVID-19 cases had recovered after 16 days, 75 per cent had recovered after 23 days, and 95 per cent had recovered after six weeks.
Relapse puzzles local doctors
"It's been hideous to be honest — I've had fever, pains, cough, shortness of breath, gastro-intestinal issues, cramping, nausea, you name it," Ms Nicholson-McKellar said.
"One symptom goes, another one comes — I get a little bit better then I have a relapse.
"On April 25 I was free of symptoms for 72 hours and got cleared by the Department of Health, but then a few days after that I ended up in hospital with chest pains, and was tested positive again."
Ms Nicholson-McKellar had a chest X-ray while she was at the Byron Central Hospital about two weeks ago.
"They said that my lungs looked foggy, they didn't look normal like a 35-year-old's lungs should look, but they weren't sure if that's just what COVID lungs looked like," she said.
"I do have a local doctor … he was very good but also very honest, about that we just don't know, and that's the hardest thing.
"I'm sitting here going 'should I be doing something to exercise my lungs to prevent permanent damage?'
"I don't know, and no-one really knows what long-term recovery of this disease looks like."
'Still learning' about coronavirus
The North Coast Public Health Unit, which covers the Byron Bay area, follows COVID-19 National Guidelines, which provide advice about releasing individuals from isolation.
They state a person can be released from isolation if they meet the appropriate criteria for any of the following three scenarios:
North Coast Public Health Unit Director Paul Corben told the ABC there was a lot more to learn about the virus, and guidelines were frequently updated as new evidence became available.
He said there was a spectrum of illness that people with COVID-19 experience.
"People talk about a biphasic illness, so people become unwell, seem to have recovered and then seem to slide back into feeling unwell again," Mr Corben said.
"We don't know how common that is, but it does seem to be a feature of the illness in some people.
"This virus can knock people around quite a bit and people do become quite unwell, and it's not unheard of for people to have more than one illness at the same time."
Mr Corben said people with ongoing symptoms should consult their GP for medical advice.
Ongoing isolation
Meanwhile, Ms Nicholson-McKellar is counting the days until she can safely leave her home.
"I'm lucky that I've got family and friends that have been dropping things round but I'm here alone, it's a struggle to make food and do the dishes — I'm glad no-one can see my kitchen right now," she said.
"It's been two months now where I've had no human contact — I just want to surf, I miss the surf so much."
