A Beaver Falls man is publicly revealing his COVID-19 diagnosis today, and his struggle to get medical attention.
Central Outreach Wellness Center has confirmed an additional three cases of the novel coronavirus today from its latest round of testing done at its Aliquippa location. County officials confirm to BeaverCountian.com that number includes Steven Robinson of Beaver Falls.
Other positive tests are from patients in Aliquippa and Ambridge.
The CWOC’s three new cases bring the total number of known cases in the county to at least six. CWOC said another person also tested positive at the Aliquippa site, but that person was from another county.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health is still reporting a total of just three cases in Beaver County, but county officials told BeaverCountian.com that number will be updated tomorrow.
Robinson’s public posts to Facebook are spreading like wildfire today, as the man says he’d been experiencing a severe headache for the last seven days and said he failed to get a doctor’s attention. He said he didn’t know how he may have contracted the virus, and he didn’t include information about how long he continued to work or about others’ possible exposure.
Robinson, who said he works for Anchor Hocking in Monaca, said he first contacted his doctor’s office on Monday by phone as concerned citizens are guided to do, but it was to no avail. So he went to the CWOC Aliquippa testing site.
“To all my family and friends co workers I suggest u get tested asap I’m so scared I know my body better than anyone.” Robinson posted. “I had a headache since last Tuesday no fever slight chills and a lil weez but the weez wasn’t as different then wut I usually get around this time a year with my seasonal allergies but nothing sever on Sunday I lost about 95% of smell so yesterday I called my Dr butt ass family medicine this young ass sounding rookie Dr lady told me that I couldn’t come in because I wasn’t running no fever I told her that not everyone has fevers and that I can’t smell shit its sign and my head is busted.”
He continued, “Called my hr told them why I called off and told them that my Dr wasn’t taking me they said that since I called off I’m need some kind of medical proof so I said fuck it when the drive thru testing started I was around 12th in line I waited 2hrs and had to fake the fever I turned my heat on hell in the car I even had to piss in my Wendy’s lg strawberry lemonade cup I was not playin got to get the test they gave me as much time off they feel I needed this morning I got the call positive I now have had Covid-19 the corona virus and I can’t leave my place if I wanted to I’m so scared the dept of health should be calling me soon so if I disappear I was at home”
A phone message left by BeaverCountian.com at Anchor Hocking seeking comment has not yet been returned. The plant is still operating.
“Crazy part about this 1of 4 of everyone on here has it with no symptoms as a carrier and they won’t test u and its spreading like wild fire,” Robinson posted a bit later this morning.
“I’m on day 7 since my head started bustin but I took a sinus headache relief pill I feel ok a lil shortness of breath hardly no dry cough even tho sometimes I feel like I have to cough but there’s other factors like vaping to trigger that to idk man this sucks,” Robinson wrote at another point.
“I’m at my place away from everyone getting nervous I can’t believe this happened to me,” he posted. He expressed concern for his five-year-old child who has asthma.
Friends and family offered sympathy, concern and prayers, and some suggested home remedies to help symptoms. “I got cutties propel and yak,” Robinson responded.
When someone asked if he knew how he got it, Robinson replied, “thanks bro for the most part I think I had this for awhile and most likely i got it from my building 70% of the tenants in the buildin work at the shell and have their coworkers come stay with them for short business that been traveling everywhere idk but I’m shooting for a full recovery its just the headache its not pounding but still there a lil tightness of the chest but that could be gas related and a lil short wind but I could still play half court ill keep u posted”
He later said, “its hard to know someone when its damn near impossible to get the test I had to go full blown shinobi to get tested”
He urged concerned people to go get tested at the Aliquippa site, “knowing is half the battle I rather know someone has it then not know so we can stop this.”
Steven Robinson did not return multiple requests for an interview by BeaverCountian.com.
BeaverCountian.com investigative reporter John Paul contributed to this report.
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