John Curtin, founder ,of Harnesslink and JC International Bloodstock in Auckland, New Zealand, had tested positive for coronavirus on Friday says he is already back to feeling 100 per cent.
Curtin, who after returning from the United States became the sixth New Zealander to test positive, heaped praise on his "first class" treatment by officials and medical experts.
He was in high spirits when he spoke with this reporter on Sunday night.
"I'm 100 per cent, I'm back to normal," Curtin said. "Everybody else was worried, not me."
Curtin had returned from the US on Friday, March 6, on a flight from Houston to Auckland.
He had earlier been at a dinner at in New York City with people who had been in contact with friends of American horseman John Brennan.
On Wednesday, it was reported Brennan died of coronavirus aged 69, becoming the first fatality to the disease in New Jersey.
After arriving in New Zealand, Curtin felt fine and went to an 8.30am service on Sunday, March 8 at St Mary's church in East St, Papakura.
He was not coughing, sneezing or otherwise sick during the service, and as such believed those he came into contact with would not be at risk.
By Tuesday he had fallen ill and was sneezing quite often. His legs were sore enough to make standing up difficult and a fever developed, Curtin said.
But the symptoms abated quickly and in his view the illness for him was not as bad as a case of the flu.
He arranged to be tested on Thursday and his throat was swabbed in the car park of a Papakura medical center by a doctor wearing full medical equipment.
On Friday night the call came to say he had tested positive.
No one else had been tested in his family and his wife, who travelled with him to the United States, had no symptoms, Curtin said.
His 14-day period of isolation continues at his home south of Auckland and he is working from home.
One of the friends of the man who died of the virus in New Jersey was well, but another was seriously ill and still waiting for his results after five days, the man said.
That five-day wait was a sharp contrast to his treatment in New Zealand, he said.
He believed officials in New Zealand were taking the right approach in making all visitors from overseas isolate for 14 days on arrival and suspending cruise ship visits.
From Harnesslink Media