CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Coronavirus fears are separating a Kings Mountain husband and wife, both in their 60s, who were among several from the Charlotte-area on a cruise ship stricken with several positive COVID-19 cases.
"You try to make laughter as much as you can, but it's still on your mind that you have been around that virus," Don Yarbro said. "We're just making the best of the situation."
Yarbro remains under quarantine at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Georgia, while his wife remains under quarantine inside a FEMA hotel in California. Linda, a cancer survivor, was briefly hospitalized for what turned out to be bronchitis, not COVID-19, he said.
"Her oxygen levels were really low, so they took her right to the hospital right from the ship," Yarbro said.
The Yarbros, along with more than a dozen others from Kings Mountain and Gaston County, were among thousands of passengers aboard the Grand Princess. The cruise ship docked in California after 21 people tested positive for COVID-19. Yarbro said the vacation started off great, but then early on they learned fear-inducing news.
"We heard that that gentleman that had just come off that boat at 70 years old died from the Coronavirus and we knew then it had to have been on the boat," Yarbro said. "It's stressful...Maybe we should have never boarded that ship."
Today, passengers are spread out across the country at quarantine sites. Yarbro said, thankfully, none of the people from our area tested positive.
"There's no sign of anyone here being sick," he said.
He said their rooms are small and meals are carefully brought to their doors, but he knows it could be worse.
"We are very blessed, all of us that are down here," he said. "We're just making the best of the situation."
Yarbro said he's thankful for all of the prayers.
"We're just grateful for you all caring for us," Yarbro said.
Yarbro said the 14-day quarantine countdown started Thursday.
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