Coronavirus victim thought she was going to die following quick decline in health

ATLANTA — An Atlanta woman says she has a long road ahead of her after contracting the coronavirus. At one point, she told Channel 2’s Audrey Washington, she thought she would die.

Niya Matthews, 43, said she started feeling ill and within 24 hours was admitted to Emory University Hospital.

“Your body is shutting down. All that goes through your head and I’m not knowing if I’m going to come back home to my family,” Matthew said, becoming emotional.

Matthews spoke with Washington over FaceTime Monday night about her battle against the coronavirus.

“I was afraid. I was terrified,” Matthews said.

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She said she started to feel sick last Monday and then by Tuesday, things got much worse. That’s when she went to the midtown hospital emergency room.

“They called my name to go up and I passed out,” Matthews said.

Matthews, a life coach, said she tested positive for the virus and was immediately admitted.

“As soon as they admitted me I’m in a room, these nurses are coming in with hazmat suits,” Matthews said. “In the background, I’m hearing coughing and code blue. I’m hearing nurses say they’re running out of supplies.”

As the days went by, Matthews told Washington that she started to fear the worst.

“And to be honest, I’m a faith-based person, but fear crept in for a second because it was just that fast that it was happening,” Matthews said.

By the end of the week, Matthews’ health started to improve.

She said she tested negative and returned home.

Matthews told Washington that she’s thankful that she survived a virus that has killed thousands of people across the country and the world.

“Shout-out to Emory staff because they were fast, attentive, they were rock stars and I thank them,” Matthews said.

She said she still has a cough, but she is now in self-quarantine.

Matthews also stressed that people should stay home because coronavirus could happen to anyone.

Coronavirus victim says, ‘I feel like I’m in prison’ while in quarantine in Rome hospital Clay Bentley told Channel 2’s Justin Wilfon that he feels like he’s in prison, quarantined inside his hospital room.

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