The NHS workers who have died during the Covid-19 outbreak
From housekeepers to specialists, dozens of frontline workers have died in the fight against the pandemic.
Health Secretary Matt Hancock said the Government had now identified 27 NHS staff who had died after contracting coronavirus, however the true total is thought to be far greater.
The PA news agency has confirmed the deaths of at least 40 frontline NHS workers during the pandemic:
– Lourdes Campbell, healthcare assistant
Known as “Des” to her colleagues, the healthcare assistant was remembered as “diligent and compassionate” by the Bolton NHS Foundation Trust.
In a statement on April 16, chief executive of the trust Fiona Noden said Ms Campbell died in the critical care unit at Royal Bolton Hospital after contracting the virus.
– Dr Krishan Arora
A senior partner at Violet Lane Medical Practice, Dr Arora had been a GP in Croydon for 27 years.
He died on April 15 after testing positive for the virus.
Dr Agnelo Fernandes, GP borough lead for Croydon, said: “We are all greatly saddened by the death of Dr Krishan Arora. Krish was extremely well-liked and worked tirelessly to care for his patients and improve services for everyone in Croydon.
“Our thoughts and deepest sympathies are with Krish’s family, friends and close colleagues at this difficult time. We will miss him.”
– Andy Treble, theatre assistant
His sister, Maria Molloy, described her brother – who had worked at the hospital for almost 40 years, as a “kind man” who dedicated his life to his profession and “always had a smile on his face”.
– Brian Darlington, porter
Mr Darlington, a porter with Mid Cheshire Hospitals, was known for handing out sweets to his colleagues.
His wife of 46 years Ava said: “He was dedicated to the trust, and as a family we are grateful for and appreciative of all of the kind words and messages we have seen and received.”
The 51-year-old senior head nurse at the Brynteg dental practice in Sketty died on April 14 having been admitted with Covid-19 in March, according to NHS Wales.
– Josiane Zauma Ebonja Ekoli, nurse
Aged 55, the mother-of-five was an agency nurse who lived in Leeds and worked at Harrogate Hospital. She died on April 13.
– Dr Peter Tun, associate specialist
The 62-year-old, who died in the intensive care unit at the hospital on April 12, was called a “superhero dad” by his two sons in a tribute.
“To us, he was simply the best human we know and we will miss him every day,” they said.
– Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, nurse
David Carter, CEO at Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Mary worked here for five years and was a highly valued and loved member of our team, a fantastic nurse and a great example of what we stand for in this Trust.”
– Cheryl Williams, ward housekeeper
Ms Williams, who worked as a housekeeper on an elderly patient ward at the hospital in Edmonton, north London, died on April 12.
– Maureen Ellington, healthcare assistant
Grandmother Mrs Ellington, who was in her early 60s, worked at Southmead Hospital in Bristol and passed away on April 12.
She had worked for the NHS for over 25 years at both Frenchay and Southmead hospitals.
Her family said: “She would light up any room she entered. She will always be in our hearts.”
– Leilani Medel, nurse
Mrs Medel, who worked as an agency nurse in south Wales, was described as a “wonderful and caring person”. Her employers, Cardiff-based Hoop Recruitment, said: “The nursing profession has lost a warm-natured and beautiful nurse who cared for so many vulnerable people during her nursing career.”
– Amarante Dias, hospital worker
Amarante Dias, who worked at the Weston General Hospital in north Somerset, was described as a “valued and much-loved colleague” and would be “greatly missed”.
– Melujean Ballesteros, nurse
The “dedicated and very caring” Filipino nurse, 60, died at St Mary’s Hospital in Paddington, London, on April 12, just two days after being admitted.
– Kevin Smith, plaster technician
He worked at the hospital for more than 35 years and was “renowned for his warm personality, diligence and compassion”, the trust said.
– Oscar King Jr, hospital porter
Aged 45, Oscar King Jr, a Filipino porter at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, passed away on April 11.
He was said to have worked for the hospital for more than a decade, “always doing his job with great enthusiasm and joy”.
– Elbert Rico, hospital porter
A colleague of Mr King Jr at John Radcliffe, Mr Rico worked as a porter there since moving to the UK from the Philippines in 2004 “and loved the work that he did”, according to a fundraising page published by his family.
– Gareth Roberts, nurse
The death of the “extremely popular” Mr Roberts, who came out of retirement in 2015 having worked since the 1980s, was confirmed by Cardiff and Vale University Health Board on April 11.
– Donna Campbell, healthcare support worker
– Sara Dee Trollope, nurse
A 51-year-old matron for older adult mental health services in Hillingdon, west London, Mrs Trollope died at Watford General hospital on April 10 after testing positive for the virus.
The mother-of-four was described as “an example to every one of us” by her daughter.
Aged 52, the trauma and orthopaedics nurse at Redditch’s Alexandra Hospital, in Worcestershire, died at home while self-isolating with symptoms on April 10.
– Amor Gatinao, nurse
The nurse is reported to have died on the morning of April 10, having worked at St Charles Hospital, west London.
– Aimee O’Rourke, nurse
Aged 39, the nurse and mother died at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital (QEQMH) in Margate, Kent, where she worked, on April 9.
– Dr Abdul Mabud Chowdhury, consultant urologist
The 53-year-old wrote a Facebook post asking Prime Minister Boris Johnson to urgently provide every NHS worker with PPE just five days before he died on the night of April 8.
The 62-year-old worked as a locum registrar in the emergency department of Great Western Hospital in Swindon, Wiltshire, and died “doing a job he loved” on April 8.
– Fayez Ayache, GP
– Elsie Sazuze, care home nurse
Mrs Sazuze, who worked for Wolverhampton-based agency Totallycare, died on April 7 at Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield, according to the BBC, who spoke with her husband Ken.
– Leilani Dayrit, nurse
– Donald Suelto, nurse
The 51-year-old, who worked at Hammersmith Hospital in west London, died on April 7 after going into self-isolation with coronavirus symptoms.
– Alice Kit Tak Ong, nurse
The 70-year-old, originally from Hong Kong, died on April 7 after 44 years of working for the NHS. She was described by her daughter Melissa as “generous to everyone else before herself”.
The 58-year-old healthcare support worker from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) became the first nurse in Scotland to die as a result of the coronavirus pandemic on April 6.
– Syed Haider, GP
The family doctor worked in Dagenham, east London, and died in hospital on April 6 after it is believed he developed coronavirus symptoms.
– Barbara Moore, patient discharge planner
– Dr Alfa Saadu, doctor
The 68-year-old, who had returned to work from retirement, died on April 6 at the Whittington Hospital in north London.
– Jitendra Rathod, surgeon
A “highly-regarded” associate specialist in cardio-thoracic surgery at the University Hospital of Wales, Mr Rathod died on the morning of April 6.
Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, announced the death of the 54-year-old – the first involving a serving NHS midwife after testing positive for the virus – on April 5.
– Emily Perugia, care worker
A care co-ordinator in Hillingdon, north-west London, Ms Perugia was aged just 29 at the time of her death, which was confirmed on April 5.
She was described by a colleague as a “lovely woman, who never said no to any requests”. Her mother, sister, brother and fiance all work for the same NHS trust she represented.
– Glen Corbin, nurse
The 59-year-old had worked at the Park Royal Centre for Mental Health in Harlesden, north-west London, for more than 25 years and his Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust announced his death on April 4.
– Rebecca Mack, nurse
– Liz Glanister, nurse
– Dr Anton Sebastianpillai, consultant
– John Alagos, nurse
The Mail On Sunday reported that the 27-year-old nurse, who treated coronavirus patients at Watford General Hospital, died after a shift on April 3.
– Areema Nasreen, nurse
Aged 36, Ms Nasreen died on April 2 in intensive care at Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands – where she had worked for 16 years.
– Sami Shousha, researcher
The professor, 79, who had worked at UK cancer research laboratories at London’s Hammersmith and Charing Cross hospitals since 1978, died on April 2.
– Thomas Harvey, nurse
– Dr Amged El-Hawrani, consultant
– Pooja Sharma, pharmacist
– Dr Habib Zaidi, doctor
– Dr Adil El Tayar, transplant surgeon
The 63-year-old died at West Middlesex University Hospital in Isleworth, west London, on March 25, working as a locum surgeon before his death.
