Carrie Ann Inaba Thanks 'The Talk' Co-Host Amanda Kloots for Her Support Amid Her COVID-19 Battle

Carrie Ann Inaba is opening up about her battle with the coronavirus. After revealing she tested positive for the virus in December, the Dancing With the Stars judge got candid about the experience during a virtual appearance on The Talk Wednesday, taking a moment to thank co-host Amanda Kloots for her support. Kloots, who was announced to be joining the talk show in late 2020, lost her husband, Nick Cordero, in July following a months-long battle with the virus, which she heartbreakingly documented on social media.

Reflecting on her diagnosis, Inaba said amid her recovery; she was "thinking a lot about" Kloots. She said Kloots, as well as her other co-hosts, "reached out and I appreciate that you reached out. It made me feel safer." Inaba, PEOPLE reported, admitted that "the worst part" of contracting the virus, which has killed more than 357,000 people in the United States, "was the fear factor, and just trying to manage the fear ... staying focused on positivity and thank you all for reaching out." She added, "receiving the love that people were sending; it really made a difference in battling the fear."

The Dancing With the Stars judge announced on Dec. 11 that she "just tested positive for COVID-19." Recovering at home, Inaba said she was experiencing "some symptoms," including "a fever and bad cough and lots of aches and pains." Due to her diagnosis, Inaba explained she would be "sequestering as per the CDC guidelines, resting and taking care of myself" and urged her followers to "stay vigilant."

"I just wanted to remind you all to stay vigilant because I am following all the protocols and have so many strict protocols in place and even then, I caught it," she said. "So just a friendly reminder to stay vigilant and take care of yourself. Wear a mask, please, and wash your hands a lot. Just be extra, extra careful, because you don't want this. I'm taking good care of myself, so you don't worry about me. Take care and be safe."

Just days later, Inaba's The Talk co-host Sharon Osbourne announced she had also tested positive for the virus and had been briefly hospitalized and was "now recuperating at a location away from Ozzy (who has tested negative) while The Talk is on scheduled hiatus." It is unclear where the two co-hosts contracted the virus. Inaba announced her diagnosis just two weeks after Season 29 of Dancing With the Stars, crowned former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe and her pro dancing partner Artem Chigvintsev winners during the season finale. The most recent competition season on ABC undertook strict safety protocols amid the pandemic, including foregoing an in-person audience. Inaba and Osbourne say they are continuing to recover, with Osbourne noting that while she is "still very tired," she is otherwise "feeling really fine now."