Florida Man, 21, Hospitalized With Organ Failure After Recovering From Mild COVID-19 Case

A 21-year old man from Brevard County, Florida, was recently hospitalized with organ failure shortly after recovering from a mild case of COVID-19.

During a recent interview with WESH 2 News in Florida, Spencer Rollyson related how he thought he had fully recovered from the respiratory disease after testing positive for the coronavirus in May but began feeling similar symptoms just a month later.

"Little bit of a cough, a slight fever of 99.4 I think for the first couple of days, and then after that I lost smell for about two and a half weeks, and that was my only symptom for the entire two weeks," Rollyson told the news station. He added that he received his negative test results on May 21.

Rollyson told WESH 2 News he tried to go back to work shortly after receiving his negative test but began experiencing the symptoms again while working.

"I work outside and I was wearing a jacket and it was 96 degrees outside, and I was still cold," he said. "I was sick again on June 11th, is when I started feeling it again."

He added, "My fever ended up getting up to 103.4 for like two days."

Rollyson told the station he passed out during an online doctor's appointment, which ultimately led to his going to the hospital. WESH 2 News also reported that Rollyson made a Facebook post detailing the damage his body was experiencing, such as multiple organ and heart failure.

"Something from coronavirus weakened my immune system, which caused me to have all these other symptoms and to end up with sepsis and all that," he said. "I wasn't on a ventilator. I think it's called BiPAP. It's a mask that gets put on your face, and it gets strapped on and it basically does all the breathing for me," he told the news site.

"The whole time I was sitting there, I thought I was going to die," Rollyson said.

Rollyson spent five days in the hospital, where he was treated before release.

He is on blood pressure medicine and is planning to see a cardiologist on Wednesday, as he is still experiencing some health problems, according to WESH 2 News. "I shouldn't get my heart rate up right now because it can lead to cardiac arrest."

During an interview with CNN, Rollyson said, "All I have to say is just because you're young it doesn't mean it's not gonna affect you."

He added, "I never thought at 21 I'd be on the verge of death, and it almost took my life. It's not something to play around with. Just be safe, wear your masks, wash your hands, and I can't urge it enough."

Newsweek reached out to the Florida Department of Health for comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.