Teenage girl woke up from 12-day coronavirus coma on her 16th birthday

A teenage girl has recalled the moment she woke up from a 12-day coronavirus coma to realise it was her 16^th birthday.

Marisa Bappoo’s whole family contracted the respiratory disease, but she became particularly ill and was rushed to Basingstoke Hospital. She was later transferred to an intensive care unit in Southampton where she was sedated and placed on a ventilator.

After spending almost two weeks in an induced coma, Marisa told Good Morning Britain hosts Ben Shephard and Susanna Reid how she came round to see birthday banners stuck up in her room. Her father had also emailed photos to staff who placed them in the window for her to see.

She said: ‘As I woke up the doctor held my hand and told me everything would be okay. But I was really frightened at the time as I literally didn’t know where I was.’

In all, she spent 21 days in intensive care.

Mum Anita recounted how Marisa’s temperature was ‘sky-high and she had a cough as well’.

Besides mild asthma the teenager has no underlying health conditions.

Of the panic that set in once they got to hospital and saw how serious it was, she added: ‘It was a nightmare. I couldn’t believe it was happening but Marisa was very, very sick.

‘It was scary, emotional and tough as I was there by myself with Marisa because of Covid, nobody else was there.’

Both thanked the medical staff for their amazing level of care, with Anita adding: ‘Thank you hugely for letting me have my daughter back.’

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