‘Take this seriously’: Chris Christie reveals he spent a week in ICU after catching Coronavirus

‘No one should be happy to get the virus and no one should be cavalier about being infected or infecting others’

Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie revealed that he spent seven days in the ICU for Covid-19 treatment, as he warned others to take the virus “very seriously.”

Mr Christie, 58, who is overweight and asthamtic, admitted himself to the Morristown Medical Centre on Saturday 3 October as a precautionary measure, following a positive Covid-19 test result.

His social media feeds were silent for days, prompting speculation over his condition and treatment.

The former governor left the medical centre on 10 October, and released a statement on Thursday in which he revealed that he spent seven days in the ICU receiving treatment for coronavirus.

Mr Christie also warned others to take the virus seriously: “Having had this virus, I can also assure those who have not had it of a few things. It is something to take very seriously.

“The ramifications are wildly random and potentially deadly. No one should be happy to get the virus and no one should be cavalier about being infected or infecting others.”

The former governor tested positive for Covid-19 a day after Donald Trump, and had assisted the president during his preparation for the first presidential debate just a few days before.

Mr Christie also attended a Supreme Court nomination ceremony for judge Amy Coney Barrett at the White House on Saturday 26 September, which is now believed to have been a superspreader event for Covid-19, according to CNN.

The event took place both indoors and outdoors, while numerous attendees were spotted not wearing face masks or observing social distancing.

At least 12 attendees tested positive for Covid-19 in the days following the event, as several high-profile Trump administration staff, including the president, received positive coronavirus test results and were forced to self-isolate.

The 58-year-old revealed on Thursday that he thought he was safe from catching coronavirus at the White House.

“When I entered the White House grounds, that I had entered a safe zone, due to the testing that and I and many others underwent every day. I was wrong.”

He added: “I was wrong to not wear a mask at the Amy Coney Barrett announcement and I was wrong not to wear a mask at my multiple debate prep sessions with the president and the rest of the team.

“I hope that my experience shows my fellow citizens that you should follow CDC [Centres for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines in public no matter where you are and wear a mask to protect yourself and others.”

President Trump falsely claimed at a town hall debate on Thursday night that “85 percent of the people wearing masks” catch coronavirus, citing a CDC report.

The CDC later clarified that Mr Trump had incorrectly interpreted the data from the study, but the president’s remarks followed several months of him playing down the importance of wearing face coverings.

In his statement on Thursday, Mr Christie added: “Every public official, regardless of party or position, should advocate for every American to wear a mask in public, appropriately socially distance and to wash your hands frequently every day.”

According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, there are now more than 7.9 million people who have tested positive for coronavirus in the US. The death toll has reached at least 217,747.