DJ Jazzy Jeff revealed on Instagram he is feeling symptoms of COVID-19, the respiratory illness caused by the coronavirus, while he recovers from pneumonia. The music producer, best known for his collaborations with Will Smith, did not say if he was tested for coronavirus, but told fans to take the virus seriously. He said he has lost his senses of smell and taste, one of the possible symptoms of the disease.
“Pls say a prayer for all the sick… it’s a lot more than you know!!” the DJ, whose real name is Jeffrey Allen Townes, wrote on his Instagram Story, reports HipHopDX. “I’m recovering from pneumonia in both my lungs… I lost my sense of smell and taste which is a main sign of the virus. I would NOT be here if not for my guardian angel of a wife!”
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Townes, 55, later wrote, “Please take this serious… It does not care who you are… what you do or what your plans are. Stay safe.”
The performer has apparently not been feeling well for several weeks. In his most recent tweet, he complained about feeling ill.
“I’ll be happy when I’m home and I can cough freely…LOL,” he tweeted back on March 7.
Townes shot to fame as one half of DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince, along with Smith. He went on to have a recurring role on The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air as Jazz, Smith’s best friend. The duo won two Grammys together before Townes and Smith went their separate ways. Townes has continued to record and perform, with tour dates scheduled in April and May.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some of the early symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath. The CDC suggests seeking medical attention if you have trouble breathing, feel persistent pain or pressure in the chest, develop bluish lips or face and experience new confusion.
The loss of taste and smell is another symptom of COVID-19. According to Harvard Medical School researchers, the coronavirus can attack cells in the nose, which could explain why patients lose the sense of smell. The American Academy of Otolaryngology suggests the symptoms be added to the list of symptoms that could be a sign of a patient having the coronavirus, reports Bloomberg.
There are now more than 160,000 confirmed coronavirus cases in the U.S. and more than 2,900 deaths, reports Johns Hopkins University.
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