US-based dancehall artiste recovering from COVID-19

Dancehall artiste Benji Hype, who says that he tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, March 23, is in recovery mode.

He said that he displayed symptoms the previous Friday, but still went to work. He returned home because he could not manage.

"Even then, I was joking that I have the virus and my family insisted that I not joke about it. Yuh see inna di mawning after, I started to feel really bad, had a fever and also had a sore throat and went to the Urgent Care Center in Long Island," Benji Hype told THE STAR.

"Persons have said that I have recovered quickly but to me, it seems like it's been a year because it doesn't usually take so long for me to get better from an illness. Also, the first three or four days were painful, my body was achy, I was hot ... the symptoms were of an extreme level."

Benji, given name Bernard Wint, said that he can't pinpoint exactly how he picked up the virus.

"However, a neighbour of mine who was probably in his 40s died three days ago after battling the effects of it. It's not the easiest thing to fight. For me, I suffered from insomnia but I tried my best to not stress myself out," he said. Benji said that he remained focused on delivering a positive outcome.

WILL TO SURVIVE

"At one point I questioned if I was going to get better; one minute I was thinking there was no way to defeat it, and the next minute I was firm in my thoughts that I had to get rid of it out of my system - I had to survive.

It saddens me that someone who lived close to me couldn't make it and that he has his wife and two children," he said, noting that he still has not been cleared to return to work.

Benji grew up in Mandeville, Manchester, and made his professional recording debut in 2011 with the song Brands of All Brands.

Since then, he has worked with established producers including Frenz For Real and Dre Day.

His biggest hit to date is That's How It Goes in 2018. But he hit pause on music production to work a full-time job as a UPS driver, hoping to reinvest money earned into his passion.

He has been based in Queens, New York for the last 15 years.