North Carolina nurse returns home after battling COVID-19 for weeks on ventilator

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (WTVD) -- A North Carolina nurse is headed home after weeks spent battling the novel coronavirus in a Charlotte hospital.

According to ABC-affiliate WSOC-TV, 23-year-old Alyssa Lobosco started her nursing career at CaroMont Medical in Gastonia last summer. She's not sure where she contracted COVID-19, but she told WSOC her symptoms began about a month ago.

"It started with four straight days of vomiting and it was a nightmare," Lobosco said.

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Lobosco went to the emergency room alone. Her symptoms became so bad, she had to move into the Intensive Care Unit, where she was put on a ventilator.

"It was scary," Lobosco said. "I couldn't stop crying, but I also couldn't breathe."

Though she was heavily sedated, hospital staff said they threw the nurse-turned-patient a birthday party in her room and first responders sent her prayers and well wishes.

As she left the hospital and hugged her father, hospital staff lined the halls to cheer for her.

Lobosco said the support made her recovery easier. "I can't believe it," Lobosco said. "It's great to finally see everybody."

Lobosco said she cannot wait to get back to her job as a nurse.

"I like helping people," Lobosco said. "That's not going to change."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, between 10 and 20 percent of U.S. COVID-19 cases are in health care workers.