Cambage believes she survived 'severe case' of COVID-19 in China

Warning: Story contains coarse language

Las Vegas Aces star Liz Cambage said Monday that she contracted a debilitating disease in December while playing in China - a disease she now believes was "clearly" COVID-19.

Her Instagram caption reads:

Today has definitely been the hardest day for me since this whole COVID19 crisis unfolded. I'm posting this as a reminder as why we need to take social distancing and the governments pathetic attempt at a lockdown so seriously.

Before Christmas last year while I was playing basketball in China, I thought I was coming down with the flu again. It started with body aches and coughing up a little phlegm which then turned in to a fever and sweating within 24 hours. Day 2 I was so weak I couldn't walk and I fainted in an airport. Day 3 - 7 I spent in a wheelchair going to and from hospital.

I remember crying screaming (lol dramatic) to mum on the phone that I had some fucked up bird or swine flu, and that she would end up spending Christmas flying to China to collect my body bag. I honestly thought I was going to die. Even though the doctors told me I had a "viral infection" and couldn't / wouldn't tell me more, I clearly got hit with a severe case of covid.

It took me until the end of January to have phlegm free lungs. The thought of passing this virus on to someone with a low immune system is terrifying. You might be young and healthy and not scared of getting the virus, but the fact that you can pass this on with no symptoms is what we need to focus on. please everyone stay inside!!! wash yo hands and take care ❤️

Cambage originally signed with the Shanxi Flame of the Chinese Women's Basketball Association in 2018 but didn't play with the team until late 2019 due to an ankle injury. She's also previously suited up for clubs based in Zhejiang, Beijing, and Shanghai.

The novel coronavirus was first detected in Wuhan, China, in December and was reported to the World Health Organization on Dec. 31 as a "pneumonia of unknown cause." The disease caused by the virus has since been named COVID-19. As of Monday, there have been 334,981 confirmed cases and 14,652 deaths across 190 countries, according to the WHO.