FROM SEVERE COUGHING TO
TROUBLE BREATHING.
A WOMAN DIAGNOSED WITH COVID-19
IS NOW DESCRIBING HER FIGHT TO
CHANNEL 9.
I'M HEALTHY, NOT SMOKING,
ACTIVE.
I HIKE AND WALK.
MAKES NO SENSE.
THE NUMBER OF COVID-19
PATIENTS IS RISING IN THE
CAROLINAS BUT FOR PEOPLE WHO
HAVE IT, IT CAN BE DIFFICULT TO
DETERMINE WHEN TO GO TO THE
HOSPITAL.
THERE ARE NOW 10 CASES IN
CATAWBA COUNTY INCLUDING ONE
PATIENT WHO JUST SPOKE TO
CHANNEL 9'S DAVE FAHERTY AND
DAVE JOINS US LIVE AND HER
MESSAGE IS JUST GRIPPING.
AND THIS PATIENT INITIALLY WENT
TO THE HOSPITAL FOR HELP.
Reporter: SHE CAME HERE TO
CATAWBA COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER
WHEN SHE STARTED HAVING REAL
TROUBLE BREATHING EARLIER THIS
WEEK.
SHE TELLS ME AT FIRST, THAT SHE
THOUGHT SHE WAS HAVING PROBLEMS
WITH HER ALLERGIES.
THAT WAS ABOUT A WEEK AGO.
THEN THINGS GOT PROGRESSIVELY
WORSE.
SHE ASKED WE NOT SHOW HER FACE
SHARING THIS CELL PHONE VIDEO
FROM HOME.
WE COULD CLEARLY HEAR HER COUGH
AS SHE STRUGGLE TODAY BREATHE
HOURS AFTER BEING TOLD SHE HAD
COVID-19.
STAY IN PLACE.
WHAT NEED TO BE DONE.
IMMEDIATELY.
I'M A HEALTHY NOT SMOKING
ACTIVE FIVE TO EIGHT MILE PER
DAY HIKER AND WALKER.
MAKES NO SENSE.
Reporter: SHE SAYS SHE WENT
TO CATAWBA COUNTY MEDICAL
CENTER MONDAY NIGHT AFTER
STRUGGLING TO BREATHE AND
FIGHTING A COUGH AND FEVER FOR
FOUR DAYS.
TWO DAIS LATER AFTER BEING
TESTED AT THE HOSPITAL, SHE
FOUND OUT SHE HAD THE VIRUS,
BUT SAID SHE WAS DISCHARGED
AFTER ONLY FOUR HOURS BECAUSE
AN X-RAY SHOWED SHE DIDN'T HAVE
PNEUMONIA.
SHE SHOWED US SOME OF THE
PAPERWORK SHE RECEIVED FROM THE
HOSPITAL, THE HEALTH
DEPARTMENT, AND CDC GUIDELINES.
I CANNOT COMPREHEND IF THEY
ARE DISCHARGED.
Reporter: CATAWBA COUNTY
MEDICAL CENTER SAID PEOPLE
GOING TO THE ER ARE NOW
SCREENED OUTSIDE.
THOSE WITH RESPIRATORY
ILLNESSES ARE BEING DIRECTED TO
THIS NEARBY TENT.
AFTER BEING SCREENED, ENTER THE
HOSPITAL THROUGH ANOTHER DOOR.
THE PATIENT IN CATAWBA COUNTY
IS WAITING ON AN OXYGEN TANK.
SHE SPOKE WITH US AND HOPES
OTHERS WILL TAKE PRECAUTIONS.
I MAY HAVE TO MODIFY MY
WORDS.
THERE'S A SPECIAL PLACE IN HELL
I HAVE NEVER VISITED.
THIS AFTERNOON, WE GOT SOME
UPDATED NUMBERS HERE IN CATAWBA
COUNTY, I'M LOOKING AT THEM
RIGHT NOW.
452 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TESTED FOR
KOA COVID-19.
THEY ARE STILL WAITING ON 300
TESTS HERE.
I KNOW THIS PATIENT WANT TO
REMAIN ANONYMOUS.
ANY IDEA HOW OLD SHE IS OR DOES
SHE HAVE ANY UNDERLYING
CONDITIONS HERE?
Reporter: SHE SAID SHE IS IN
HER EARLY 50s , THAT SHE HAS
NOT HAD ANY ILLNESSES, SERIOUS
ILLNESSES OVER THE LAST TEN
YEARS, SHE IS STILL TRYING TO
FIGURE OUT EXACTLY HOW SHE GOT
THE VIRUS.
