Quarantined And Recovered: Elderly Georgia Couple Asks Americans ‘Not To Panic’

A couple from Georgia, who were among those tested positive for COVID-19 in the Diamond Princess cruise ship last month, have now recovered from the disease and advices fellow Americans "not to panic.”

Sherry and Dale Grizzle reunited Wednesday after contracting the virus while vacationing on the cruise ship, being quarantined in the U.S. and Japan, respectively for nearly three weeks.

“We've never been apart like this before, and it was pretty stressful. That may have been the worst part of the whole deal," Dale, 69, told Fox News on Sunday.

Sherry said she initially had “just a mild sore throat and a headache and that lasted for several days,” but she wasn’t sure. Dale, meanwhile, had been diagnosed with the infection.

“I ran a fever for about two and a half weeks that I couldn't seem to get rid of, and I developed some pneumonia, a milder case of pneumonia, but pneumonia nonetheless, and it was stubborn, but thankfully it didn't turn into a real bad case so I was able to overcome it,” Dale added.

Dale said he was in a Japanese hospital where he was “very well cared for.” “I couldn't have asked for any better care. The team of doctors and nurses that took care of me were absolutely awesome, and I can never thank them enough for the care that I received,” he added.

The cruise ship was docked in the Yokohama port near Tokyo under a 14-day quarantine pending, permission from San Francisco’s permission for docking there. A passenger, who had disembarked from the ship in Hong Kong earlier, was found to have the virus, leading to the ship's quarantine.

Dale was among the few Americans left behind in Japan after the U.S. evacuated more than 300 Americans and put them in quarantine for another two weeks.

Dale urged Americans to listen to health experts and take precautions. “We encourage our fellow Americans not to panic -- just be smart, wash your hands often,” he said.