Sydney woman tested negative five times before Covid diagnosis

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Health workers collect swab samples from residents at a Covid-19 drive-through testing clinic in Sydney’s Fairfield suburb. (Photo by SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)

A Sydney family has shared their frightening experience with being infected with the Delta variant of COVID-19.

One family member returned five negative tests, despite the fact she was experiencing severe chest pain and having trouble breathing. A sixth test, after she had already been hospitalised, came back positive.

Speaking on Today Simon Strum said the family’s “world changed” when NSW Health contacted the family on a Sunday to say 14-year-old son Jason was a close contact of a known case and needed to get tested.

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Simon Strum and son Jason were both infected with COVID-19

“He was positive by the Monday. Jason didn’t seem so sick. But then by Tuesday I started getting sick,” Mr Strum said.

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“Within a few days, I ended up in hospital. It started off sort of mellow. It sort of built and got worse as it went along. I was up all night shivering, sweating, coughing.

“When the hospital was calling and they sent equipment over here and when they said I needed to go to hospital because I couldn’t see. That is when it started getting serious.”

Mr Strum’s partner Rebecca was also infected with COVID-19, but returned five negative tests.

“She started feeling unwell. Because we were all close contacts, she was told to test. She came back negative,” Mr Strum said.

“She had trouble breathing. She ended up in hospital with her severe chest pain. And she was taken by ambulance.

“Every time she tested, and she tested five times, they were negative. It was only on the sixth time that she tested positive.

“All the kids in her house and her mum caught it and her family caught it. It’s super contagious.”

Mr Strum and his family are now recovering, but are encouraging people to get vaccinated to protect themselves and their families.

“When I was in hospital, the doctor treating me asked me one question. He said – have you had the vaccine?” Mr Strum said.

“I said ‘no, not yet’. He said ‘that’s why you’re here’.

“He said everyone who’s in hospital at St Vincent’s had not had the vaccination. He said ‘if you had the vaccine you wouldn’t be here, you wouldn’t be so sick’.

“If you can get out there and get a jab.”