RTÉ PRESENTER Claire Byrne has tested positive for Covid-19, both RTÉ and herself have confirmed.
Last week, the broadcaster revealed she was presenting her radio show Claire Byrne Live from her garden shed as she had the symptoms of a cold and was following HSE guideline to self-isolate.
"I’m in self-isolation so instead of joining you from the @RTENews studios, I am with you from a link in my shed" - Claire Byrne
Claire has had the symptoms of a cold & based on the new advice from the HSE is self isolating. @SarahAMcInerney is in studio w the latest #CBLive pic.twitter.com/T7p7riD6sD— Claire Byrne Live (@ClaireByrneLive) March 16, 2020
Yesterday, Ms Byrne wrote an email to RTÉ staff confirming that she tested positive for the virus and wanted to let them know "at the earliest opportunity", the outlet disclosed.
Her close contacts have been traced by the HSE and she is now "through the peak" of her condition, she told colleagues in the email.
Last night's episode of Claire Byrne Live, again presented from her garden shed, saw Ms Byrne tell listeners "I am now one of the 1,125 people in Ireland with coronavirus".
Ms Byrne had the symptoms of a head cold and did not believe she was carrying the virus but still took precautions to prevent the spread.
"I had no temperature at any stage," she said. "I checked my temperature three times a day every day and there was never a spike."
Ms Byrne underwent a test in a newly opened test centre, and described the experience to listeners on her show, a clip of which you can see below.
'I felt guilty, I felt shocked and I felt worried' - Claire Byrne
Claire describes how she reacted to being diagnosed with Covid-19 #CBLive pic.twitter.com/jl9acNWhkA— Claire Byrne Live (@ClaireByrneLive) March 23, 2020
Despite a productive cough, fatigue and body aches, Ms Byrne said the worst part was when she noticed she was becoming breathless.
Ms Byrne describes the moment she got her positive results as "shocking".
"I went into guilt mode because I felt: how many people have I given this to?"
"That was my big concern," she said on last night's show.
"Obviously I'd been self isolating for quite some time and following all of the guidelines, but there's always that thought in the back of your mind-- before I had symptoms was I giving this condition to other people, and who were those people?"
"I felt guilty, I felt shocked and I felt worried," she told listeners.
Thankfully Ms Byrne was able to trace all her contacts and is now feeling well, saying she is "through the worst of it".
