A 39-year-old social worker from New Orleans has died from coronavirus before she was received the results of her, as per reports.
Natasha Ott’s boyfriend, Josh Anderson, is now urging people to take the pandemic seriously following his partner’s death. Metro say Natasha had initially turned down the chance to be tested for coronavirus so that kits could be saved for vulnerable patients.
Josh found Natasha’s body on the kitchen floor on Friday after she had contracted the virus. He took to Facebook to deliver an emotional plea:
“The time for joking about Covid-19 is over. Now is the time to keep yourself, your loved ones, and everyone else safe.
Natasha, who was a former peace corps volunteer, first started to feel unwell on March 10. She told Josh she had a “respiratory cold” and a “tiny fever”, while turning down the chance to be tested for coronavirus at work because there were only five kits available.
The New Orleans Advertiser report that the 39-year-old believed the kits should be spared for more vulnerable people.
Natasha, who worked for an organization called Crescent Care, helping people who have HIV to get the necessary treatment, decided to have a flu test at the doctor’s instead. She text her boyfriend on March 13 to say: “Hey, they don’t think I need to get tested unless I develop a fever. All looks well.”
Her condition deteriorated, however, and Josh said she grew feverish and fatigued.
The social worker was eventually tested last Monday and waited for the results last week while complaining about having “something in her lungs”. She stopped replying to Josh’s texts on Friday and he raced home to find her already dead.
Josh wrote on Facebook: “Seeing a woman I knew to be so full of life lying on the floor lifeless was devastating. I was afraid to touch her. I held her anyway.
“Natasha was a profoundly kind, passionate, funny and loving 39-year-old woman in good health.
“She loved those who were fortunate enough to be close to her with every ounce of her heart. The absolute least-interesting thing about her was the way that she died, but I’d like to talk about that here now because I’d like everyone to wake up to the reality of what we are facing.”
How many more people must this horrible virus claim? Rest in peace, Natasha, we only hope you’re in a better place now.
Share this article to spread Josh’s warning in reminding people to take coronavirus seriously. It’s not just the elderly at risk, it’s everyone, and the only way we can slow and stop the spread is by taking the threat seriously.