Linda Lusardi, 61, praises ‘amazing’ NHS after she was ‘taken to death’s door’ by coronavirus

Linda Lusardi has praised the ‘amazing’ National Health Service after being cared for by medical staff following her coronavirus diagnosis last week.

The former glamour model, 61, revealed that she keeps bursting into tears over the care she was shown by NHS staff while ‘at death’s door’ with COVID-19.

Both Linda and her husband Sam Kane, 51, were hospitalised on Friday after developing COVID-19 symptoms earlier in the week.

After Sam revealed she had ‘turned a corner’ with the virus on Monday evening, Linda took to Twitter to thank the NHS and her followers.

She said: ‘Just wanted to say thank you for all your kind words. My @samkane1968 went home from hospital today to carry on recovering. 

We both tested positive with the virus. I still have a way to go yet The NHS staff have been amazing Their kindness keeps making me cry. Love to you all.’

On Monday, Sam confirmed Linda had been ‘taken to death’s door after developing coronavirus symptoms.

Sam, 51, posted on Facebook, begging the public to take the self isolation and self distancing rules seriously as he said: ‘I can’t stress enough that this is not ‘just a flu bug’. I’ve watched this take my girl to death’s door.’ 

Sam wrote on Monday: ‘I can’t stress enough that this is not ‘just a flu bug’. I’ve watched this take my girl to death’s door.’ 

‘I’ve felt it take me there. It’s a cruel, vile, remorseless, relentless, dark sickness. It was like three hands. One that’s strangling you. One pushing your face down as it does. The other one ripping your heart out of your chest and it just doesn’t stop… for days’.

‘You’re totally helpless and in its grasp. It’s nothing like flu,’ he continued before pleading with those not adhering to government rules to stop going out.

‘Please stop going out. Passing this around will mean it just takes longer till we’re back to normal. Please stay safe people. Two weeks away from anyone else outside your family should see this gone. It’s that simple. Please stay in.’

The day before Sam confirmed he had tested positive for COVID-19, telling his Facebook followers that he had no idea where the couple had contracted the virus.

‘Well. It’s official. I am positive for CoronaVirus. I don’t know if I’m happy or gutted. Probably a bit of both. I hope it’s a one time thing coz I don’t want this again,’ the former actor wrote.

He added that Linda hadn’t received her results yet, but he was ‘certain’ she had the virus.

‘I don’t know Linda’s result yet but regardless of the test, I’m certain that she has it too. We’re told a lot of tests taken come back negative as the testing process is so sensitive. They tell me that tests, in a lot of cases, are false negatives. Kinda and I both had text book symptoms. God knows where we got it. But we did.

‘The NHS staff have been beyond incredible. The work and care they are giving at the front line with so little resources is astounding. They’re fearless. The debt of gratitude I owe them for getting my girl back to a sense of normality will be owed for the rest of my life.’

‘Please take care of yourselves. Isolating is the only way now. This has to be stopped and only we can do it. Take care of yourselves. Stay safe. Xxx’

Earlier in the day Sam wrote that he had good news for Mother’s Day, telling his friends: Linda, I believe has turned a corner today. Thank God. Shes not out of the woods just yet but she appears, to my untrained eyes to have gotten over the worst.’

‘She is feeling a little better. She is eating and drinking. Functioning slowly but well. Her vitals were all normal last night. She had an uncomfortable night but it’s been better than most nights lately. Thank God.’

‘Thank you so much for your love and support. I honestly don’t know where we’d be without it. From the bottom of my heart. Thank you. This is the best Mother’s Day Gift we could have hoped for. God bless you all. Please stay safe. Xxx’

On Friday Sam posted to confirm that he and his wife had been hospitalised after showing symptoms and were about to be tested. 

‘To all who know us. Linda and I have been taken to hospital and will be tested for Covid 19 at some point very soon,’ Sam wrote on Facebook.

‘We are both stable but very ill. Thank you for all of your messages of support. Could I please ask that you hold off from any messaging at this time.’

‘Your concern means the world to us. Prayers and positivity in abundance please if you have time. Thank you all. Stay safe. Xxx’ 

Linda took to Twitter on Thursday afternoon to reveal that the couple had symptoms writing: ‘I want to thank you all for your good wishes. Sam and I have had COVID-19 symptoms and are in isolation so we do not spread it to anyone else.

‘We are taking it one-day-at-a-time, that’s all we can do. But let me tell you we’ve never felt this ill, EVER!

‘I wouldn’t wish this on anyone. So stay safe everyone and follow the advice of the experts – please take care of yourselves, loved ones and each other xx’ 

On Wednesday, the former Page 3 girl, 61, revealed she was struggling with coronavirus symptoms as recorded cases of the highly contagious virus continue to rise across the United Kingdom.  

She revealed she had symptoms while responding to a fan request for a celebrity video message, ironically to a relative under quarantine in Spain. Replying to the fan, Linda wrote: ‘Sorry Kerry. I am extremely ill with Corona at the moment.’  

Wishing her well, one follower commented: ‘Sending you all our love and hope you feel better soon love you very much.’ 

While another wrote: ‘Get well soon Linda take care and rest up.’ 

Reaching out to the star, a third added: ‘Wishing you a very speedy recovery.’ 

Linda married former Brookside and Emmerdale actor Samuel Kane in 1998; the couple are parents to two children – daughter Lucy, 24, and son Jack, 21.  

She shared images of herself enjoying a night out with her oldest child and her actor boyfriend Jack Rowan, best known for his roles in Peaky Blinders and controversial new drama Noughts and Crosses, as recently as March 6.  

Linda joins a whole host of stars who have confirmed they have been tested positive for COVID-19. 

Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson were the first Hollywood couple to reveal they had been tested positive for the novel coronavirus during a holiday to the Gold Coast in Australia. 

The Forrest Gump actor and his wife, both 63, announced the positive test results last week on Instagram urging the public to ‘take care’. 

Hanks revealed they had experienced symptoms including the common cold, body aches and chills before they decided to get tested. 

Days later, Idris Elba revealed he too had contracted the virus and that he and wife Sabrina had gone into self isolation. 

The Luther star, 47, had attended the WE Day UK Charity event and concert in London last Tuesday March 3 with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, the wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

She announced she tested positive for the virus last week and gone into self quarantine. 

Bond girl Olga Kurylenko revealed on Wednesday she’s ‘feeling better’ three days after announcing she had tested positive for coronavirus. 

The Quantum Of Solace star took to Instagram on Wednesday to give her 615K followers an update on her health, sharing that her ‘fever has gone’ just one day after she was refused a hospital bed with a temperature of 102F (38.9C).