Valley couple details what they went through while under quarantine after a Diamond Princess Cruise

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A valley couple and their family are relieved to be out of quarantine for the coronavirus. They were among the 2,800 people trapped aboard a cruise ship off the coast of Japan followed by two weeks of quarantine in Texas.

The couple shared their story about making the best of a very difficult situation.

Besides fabulous pictures, the Gunia couple, Steve and Sommer, of Scottsdale, brought home an unusual souvenir from their Diamond Princess Cruise: A letter from the Centers for Disease Control, saying the couple successfully completed their federal quarantine.

It's a letter they said they'll be framing. It partly reads, "You are now able to complete your travel home. Thank you for your patience and understanding while under federal quarantine."

The couple and their family were among the thousands of trapped aboard the cruise ship when dozens of passengers tested positive for the coronavirus on Feb. 3rd. They were quarantined on the ship off the Japan coast for 12 days but then flew to a Texas airbase for 14 more days of quarantine.

Steve says the quarantine created so much stress on the couple physically and now they are trying to adjust. Their dogs are happy to have them home, but it was people's reaction the Gunia couple was worried about.

"I was kind of worried if people found out it was us that was on the cruise ship they would want to distance themselves away from us and treat us a little bit differently but when we went and got pedicures someone wanted to take our picture because we were famous it made us feel pretty good that wasn't the case," Sommer said.

There were times they say they felt angry, tearful, frightened and hopeless. "It's very traumatic actually," she said. The couple said they'll be seeking therapy for this experience.

Sommer is a surgeon, her husband Steve is a nurse. She says she is lucky they are best friends or the experience would have even been worse.

Will they cruise again? They said yes, but not for a while.

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In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.