PROVO — Utah County Attorney David Leavitt revealed Friday night that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Leavitt, 56, said he began feeling sick March 26 with fever, muscles aches and fatigue “like I’ve never experienced.”
“My chest tightened and I’m struggling to regain my health,” Leavitt said of his worsening symptoms. “I went to be tested, (and) I learned earlier this evening that I am positive for COVID-19. I think this has been my all-time sickest I have been in my life. I have a lot of sympathy for those who may be fighting this virus and their families.”
Leavitt expressed gratitude and appreciation for first responders and health care workers.
“They are the true heroes,” Leavitt said. “They are the ones at risk. Let’s not overwhelm the system and follow the guidelines to flatten the curve.”
He and his staff had been working from home for about two weeks as of Friday, spokeswoman Sherrie Hall Everett said. She said others in the office were alerted to monitor their own health.
“He said he’s never been through anything worse in his life,” Everett said. “He said, ‘I can barely lift my head off the pillow.’”
Everett said most of those in the office have been working at home for 14 to 16 days, and Leavitt began having symptoms about 10 days ago. He became significantly more sick four days ago, and went to a medical provider to be tested on Wednesday.
“Thinking he wouldn’t get his test results back for about two weeks,” she said. “The good part of this is he got his test results sooner than he thought. ... His reason in wanting to inform the public, we haven’t really gone into full-bore in Utah County, as compared to other areas. But it’s coming.”
She said Leavitt hoped that by sharing his story, he’d help others see the need to follow the advice of state and local leaders, who’ve repeatedly asked Utah residents to stay at home as much as possible, including working from home.
By following that advice, she said, “We won’t overwhelm the medical system, and we can kind of limit that exposure. He doesn’t know where he picked it up from. We’ve been pretty hunkered down for about 14 days. Not leaving the house. It spreads rapidly. And we’ve just got to be careful about it.”
Leavitt, a Republican running for Utah Attorney General, had been meeting with delegates over video conference but now doesn’t have the energy for that, Everett said.
“This is not something to mess around with or to feel like you’re somehow invincible,” Everett said. “He is at home, but there have been a couple of times when his chest has tightened enough that he has considered going to the hospital. ... He said he’s never been so miserable in his life.”
She said that because Utah County’s numbers are lower than Salt Lake, Summit and Davis counties, not everyone feels the urgency to follow the strict directives issued by Gov. Gary Herbert and medical professionals.
“It seems like we’re just a little bit behind Salt Lake and Summit counties,” she said. “And you know, there’s just been a little bit more measured approach here.”
Leavitt chose to have attorneys work from home as soon as state officials began recommending it nearly three weeks ago. He is also continuing to campaign, although most of that effort is being done by his campaign team right now.