A Georgia man battling the coronavirus says he could barely stand up after likely catching the disease while singing in a 100-member church choir.
Clay Bentley sang in the choir at the Church at Liberty Square in Cartersville, Georgia, on March 1.
Bentley said the next day woke up feeling horrible and took himself to an urgent care in Rome, Georgia, where they checked his vitals and noticed that his oxygen levels were really low.
‘I was coughing and I was having a fever. Sweating. Cold chills. I didn’t even have enough energy to stand up,’ Bentley said on Wednesday.
‘I have had the flu before, but I ain’t never felt this bad,’ he added.
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Clay Bentley (pictured) who is currently battling the coronavirus said he could barely stand at one point after likely catching the disease while singing in a 100-member church choir last week in Georgia
Bentley sang in the choir at the Church at Liberty Square (pictured) in Cartersville, Georgia, on March 1
He initially went to an urgent care where they checked his vitals and noticed that his oxygen levels were really low.
Bentley was then sent to the Redmond Regional Medical Center with what he believed was flu-like symptoms.
But he says that after he was tested for the flu, his test results came back negative.
The hospital then sent him home because, according to Bentley, doctors said he didn’t fit the criteria required for him to be tested for the coronavirus since he hadn’t been out of the country recently.
But Bentley progressively got worse. He said he called the hospital and told them that he felt like they ‘had sent me home to die’.
When he went back to the hospital, doctors discovered he had pneumonia in both lungs. He then tested positive for the coronavirus.
Bentley (pictured with his wife) went to a local hospital that sent him home after saying he didn’t fit the criteria to be tested for the coronavirus
But Bentley (left and right, with his wife) got worse. He said he called the hospital and told them that he felt like they ‘had sent me home to die’. When he went back to the hospital, doctors discovered he had pneumonia in both lungs. He then tested positive for coronavirus
In a Facebook post, Bentley said Vice President Mike Pence even called him to wish him well.
‘So you know your living in a great country when the Vice President calls you to tell you that he is personally praying for your recovery….Mike Pence, you sir are such a great leader…and sharing the Love of Jesus with you was an honor!!!’ Bentley wrote.
Bentley, who is still being quarantined at the hospital, said he is now feeling a little better since he was initially diagnosed.
His wife, his adult son and their four-year-old grandson are also in quarantine.
Since his performance, Bentley said he’s heard that seven other people who were also in the choir are in hospitals now.
It’s unclear if that number is accurate, but the Church at Liberty Square did confirm that two people tested positive for COVID-19. That number includes Bentley.
There are a total of 1,364 coronavirus cases in the United States and 39 deaths
This graphic shows the escalation of the coronavirus in the United States since January 21
The church was forced to cancel services Wednesday night in order to sanitize.
‘We received an official word today from the Northwest Georgia Department of Public Health that there were two confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 that attended the Church at Liberty Square Sunday morning services over the last two weeks,’ a statement from the church reads.
‘Public health officials are asking church members to monitor their health for fever, cough and shortness of breath,’ the statement added.
The church said it will resume normal services on Sunday, March 15.
‘Our ministry team is being advised to wash their hands, practice good hygiene and stay home if they are sick,’ church leaders said.
There are a total of 1,364 coronavirus cases in the United States and 39 deaths.
Globally, there are more than 125,000 confirmed coronavirus cases and more than 4,600 deaths.