A Chicago teacher who was on a plane to Iceland last week for a European vacation said she quarantined in a bathroom for four hours after finding out — midflight — that she had COVID-19, according to reports.
Marisa Fotieo told the Grand Rapids, Mich., ABC affiliate WZZM that her ordeal started somewhere over the Atlantic when she developed a sore throat. She said she had packed a few rapid tests and took one in the plane’s restroom. The test showed a positive result in mere seconds, she said.
She informed a quick-thinking flight attendant, who determined that there were not enough empty seats on the aircraft to properly isolate her, she said. So, concerned about the welfare of the other passengers, Fotieo offered to “just stay in the bathroom for the rest of the flight,” she told the TV station in her native Michigan.
“I can’t believe I spent four hours in that bathroom, but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do,” she said.
Her post on TikTok about the episode was viewed more than 3 million times.
NBC News reported that Fotieo’s father and brother — who were both on the plane — tested negative upon arrival and continued on to Switzerland. Fotieo stayed back in Reykjavik, where she is quarantining for 10 days.
She praised Icelandair ICEAIR, -1.36% and the flight attendant who helped her during the flight. She said she has been comfortable in the Red Cross Humanitarian Hotel, where she has been staying, and plans to leave in a few days.
A version of this report by Fox News has appeared at NYPost.com.