Coronavirus: Market Harborough man home after virus fight

Hylton Murray-Philipson says he spent five days fighting for his life

A man who "battled for every breath" as he fought coronavirus has returned home and is "grateful to be alive".

Hylton Murray-Philipson spent five of his 12 days at Leicester Royal Infirmary in intensive care.

He was given a guard of honour by staff when he was discharged on Friday.

"When you have battled for every breath, everything just feels incredible," said the 61-year-old, who spent his birthday recovering on the ward.

'I cried like a baby'

Mr Murray-Philipson was taken to hospital the day after his 92-year-old father died of non-coronavirus related illness, and watched the funeral from his hospital bed.

The farmer, from Market Harborough in Leicestershire, said he had been "feeling unwell for a few days" with a temperature of about 40C (104F) and a cough, before he was admitted to intensive care.

"I was fighting for breath, I spent five days fighting for my life. There were moments of great distress, great panic," he said.

• A SIMPLE GUIDE: How do I protect myself?

• AVOIDING CONTACT: The rules on self-isolation and exercise

• LOOK-UP TOOL: Check cases in your area

• MAPS AND CHARTS: Visual guide to the outbreak

• VIDEO: The 20-second hand wash

• STRESS: How to look after your mental health

Mr Murray-Philipson was fed intravenously, given oxygen and medication while attached to a ventilator, then was moved to a ward to recover.

"The nurses [there] asked me what I would like for my birthday - when you have just come through a fight for your life it's hard to think of something," he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

"I told them I'd really like a shave. They agreed and I sat in the chair as they gave me a shave. After, they all stood around my bed with a piece of birthday cake with a candle in it.

"I cried like a baby, I was so overcome with emotion."

The father-of-two was discharged on Friday to continue his recovery at home.

Andrew Furlong, medical director at Leicester's hospitals, said they were discharging patients on a daily basis who had recovered from Covid-19.

"Our staff are providing amazing care and it's a joy when we're able to see patients well enough to leave our hospitals," he said.