Chris Cuomo reveals coronavirus symptoms: Fever, shivering, hallucinations

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo on Wednesday discussed the coronavirus symptoms he experienced the night before in a broadcast from his basement as he isolates after testing positive for COVID-19. 

Cuomo, the brother of New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), said the night he had was like no other fever he has ever experienced. 

“The night I had last night, I’ve never had anything like it, I’ve never experienced any kind of fever like what I have going on all the time,” Chris Cuomo said. “And the body aches and the tremors and the concern about not being able to do anything about it, I totally get why so many are so scared all over this country.”

.@ChrisCuomo shares the details of his symptoms and some good news as he fights coronavirus from his basement. pic.twitter.com/wF6zlN9Yay

— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) April 2, 2020

Describing the symptoms, Cuomo said it felt like “someone was beating me like a piñata.” The CNN host said he was shivering so much that he chipped a tooth and had vivid hallucinations. 

“My dad was talking to me,” he said, referring to the late New York Gov. Mario Cuomo, who died in 2015. “I was seeing people from college, people I haven’t seen in forever. It was freaky what I lived through last night.”

Cuomo said his doctor said he may experience nights like that up to eight more times. 

“I get it now, and if you match that with chest constriction and people can’t breathe, I totally get it, why we’re losing so many people and why our hospitals are so crowded,” he said. 

Despite his symptoms, Cuomo said he feels lucky in his situation to have family and loved ones who can care for him. 

He also said that even though he feels “way worse” than he did the day before in terms of symptoms, he said Wednesday was a “great day” because he found out his wife and kids tested negative for the virus. Passing it on to them is his biggest fear, he said. 

“[This] totally opened a different window for me in my heart for all those who have had to watch their loved ones slip away and go into the hospital where they can’t visit and have them in places where they can’t say bye,” Cuomo said.