Della Metzler was enjoying her vacation with her sister in Japan when a coronavirus outbreak seized their Diamond Princess cruise ship in early February.
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Her sister, 81-year-old Sally Oberst, was one of the 46 infected Americans on board, forced to stay and recover in Japanese hospitals.
Metzler never tested positive for the virus, but health officials mistook her COPD symptoms for the coronavirus.
Once the sisters were at the hospital the pair was not able to see each other for 14 days.
"Sally and I were in separate rooms next to each other," Metzler said. "To talk, we couldn't see each other. We had to use the room phone to call each other."
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While her sister remained in Japan for treatment, Metzler was sent to Travis Air Force Base for another 14-day quarantine.
She says her sister is now feeling better after treatment for the virus and was able to return to her home in Stanislaus County over the weekend.
Metzler says the two plan to reunite soon.