By Rebecca Johnson // COVID // EEW Magazine Online

Dianna Hobbs, EEW Magazine Online president, tested positive for Covid-19 on Thursday, April 28, after two of her children tested positive—eventually spreading to the entire household— following a Buffalo college event.

Amy Bertinelli, Hobbs’s longtime publicist, said individuals were notified for the purpose of contact tracing, but the general public was not aware of her diagnosis until Monday, May 9, when the CEO, 45, posted the news herself on her official Facebook page.

"Everybody in our household has been battling COVID,” wrote Hobbs Monday afternoon. “Thank God, the worst is behind us, and we are all OK. The kids all retested and are now negative for the virus. I retested and still have COVID. It has been rough, but I woke up feeling better today.”

Supporters responded by posting well-wishes, prayers, and encouragements beneath Hobbs’s post. “So glad that you and your family are doing better!” said a woman named Dotty Carr. “You're needed in the kingdom! The one who encourages so many, we pray for and encourage you.”

Another follower, Debbie Powell said, “You are a recipient of God's faithfulness, healing and restoration power! By his stripes you and your family are healed and delivered.”

Kenya Hobbs, husband of the “Your Daily Cup of Inspiration” blogger and podcaster, who tested positive for COVID-19 days after she did and is doing better, had already been quarantining after family members contracted the virus.

RELATED: 5 questions with Dianna Hobbs

The Hobbs family lives on the outskirts of Buffalo, an area in Upstate New York that, according to the latest color-coded map from federal health officials detailing Covid-19 spread across the United States, is a hot spot for transmission of the virus.

“Most of the country is covered in green, meaning those counties are considered to have low levels of community spread as measured by case counts and hospitalizations,” said Stephen T. Watson, Buffalo News reporter. “However, a large swath of upstate, running from Erie County to the Vermont border, is colored either yellow, for medium transmission, or orange, for high transmission. In fact, of the 40 counties across the country with high Covid-19 levels, 23 are in upstate New York – including Erie, Niagara and Orleans.”

Despite high levels of transmission in the area where Hobbs resides, Erie County Executive Mark Poloncarz told Buffalo News that a return to restrictive public-safety measures wasn't warranted because of the still-lower hospitalization numbers. But he did recommend people take precautions.

Bertinelli said in an exclusive statement to EEW that Mrs. Hobbs tested positive for Covid-19 on a rapid test. “She was symptomatic, running a fever and experiencing nausea, and isolated in her family’s private residence in Upstate New York.”

According to the public relations executive, Hobbs had not been a close contact with other staff members headquartered in Buffalo in the last few weeks due to a decision to work remotely because of a compromised immune system. Hobbs suffered a mini stroke and multiple seizures in 2019, resulting in a traumatic brain injury and damage to her immune cells, explained Bertinelli. “Because of this, she becomes sick easily and is careful to exercise caution,” she said.

After becoming aware of the positive result, Hobbs and her family followed CDC guidelines and the advice of their physicians. Hobbs did not personally participate in any events or meetings, according to an organization official.

Hobbs and her family received no antiviral coronavirus treatment, and despite uncomfortable symptoms and fevers, no one experienced respiratory issues or needed to be hospitalized, said a spokesperson.

“My symptoms are now very mild,” wrote Hobbs on Facebook—her first social media post since April 26. “God is good. Just gotta get my strength back up. Thank God for intercessors who have been praying for us. It is well,” she added.

Kyla Hobbs, Dianna Hobbs’s eldest daughter who is set to graduate from college this week, was the first to test positive for coronavirus Monday, April 25—two days after attending a weekend college event and complaining of a headache, fever, sore throat, body aches, and cough. She and all her siblings have bounced back and are in good health.

Dr. Kenyani Davis of Buffalo’s Community Health Center, who is not Hobbs’s personal doctor, is encouraging everyone to continue exercising caution during this ongoing pandemic.

"I always tell my patients, as we track into this new normal, there's a great acronym that I like to use, it's called SMART. It stands for safe, mindful, reactive and treatment,” said Dr. Davis during an interview for WGRZ-TV, Channel 2. “So, we know the things that keep us safe: be mindful of big crowds and super spreaders, be alert in case anyone else is sick, and be reactive, we now have testing.”

Dianna Hobbs’s diagnosis comes less than a year after the award-winning ministry leader and nonprofit founder lost her brother, Joseph Brinson, Jr., to COVID-19. He succumbed to complications in the ICU on December 7, less than five weeks after celebrating his 60th birthday.

In a social media message at the time, Hobbs posted, “We trust, both in joy and grief, that God does all things well. Please keep our family lifted."

COVID-19 is the disease caused by SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus, an upper respiratory illness, that emerged in December 2019. COVID-19 can be severe and has caused millions of deaths around the world as well as lasting health problems in some who have survived the illness.

EEW's Donna Lewis and Sarah Hall contributed to this report.