'I'm down, but I'm not out:' State Rep. Bowen describes his experience with coronavirus

 

MILWAUKEE (CBS 58) -- As the number of people with coronavirus grows by the hour across the state, we've learned one person who has it is a state representative -- and he's urging people to stop the spread.

Representative Bowen has been dealing with the virus for about two weeks now.  He says he is feeling a bit better now, but describes having coronavirus as an intense experience.

"I'm down, but I'm not out. It has been a journey so far," Rep. Bowen said. 

Wisconsin State Rep. David Bowen says he got coronavirus from someone he had lunch with in the Shorewood School District who had no idea they had it. 

About three days after contact, he started feeling symptoms. 

"I literally went through nights of a fever and body aches and body chills," he said. "It's like the flu, but it's way more intense, 5-10 times more intense."

Bowen says he already knows of two people who he passed coronavirus onto without even knowing.

"I wish we would have made this transition earlier," Bowen said, when asked about Gov. Evers' stay at home order. "It would have prevented me from exposing other people I didn't even know I was exposing. I even remember the day I contracted the virus, I went out that night."

So far, five people in the state have died from coronavirus, including three black men in Milwaukee County. 

Bowen has a message for the community.

"It's really important for black men in particular to really take things seriously for the sake of your livelihood, your family. Do not skip over the fact that you may be dealing with symptoms. These are life threatening."

Rep. Bowen says he has about one more week in quarantine, and after that he plans to ease back into work and everything else, taking every precaution not to spread it to anyone else.