The heartbroken family of a mother-of-three who is the youngest person in NSW to die after catching Covid hope her tragic death will convince some anti-vaxx relatives to get the jab.
Ianeta Isaako, 30, collapsed at her home in the Emerton in the city’s west on Monday where she lived with her husband Sako – who is now fighting for life in hospital – and their three young children.
The beloved mum had tested positive to the virus only a few days earlier, but her health rapidly deteriorated.
Struggling to breathe and ‘very sick’, she collapsed in front of her horrified husband and kids on Monday, forcing him to made a desperate call to paramedics.
After losing his beloved wife, the dedicated dad-of-three has vowed to beat the virus himself to stop their children becoming orphans.
Ms Isaako was not against vaccination – but it’s understood some members of her extended family dressed in t-shirts with anti-vaccine slogans and joined the massive crowd that marched through the CBD on July 24.
Ianeta and Sako Isaako with their children AJ, Deon and Mia (pictured), who now face a life without their mother while their father also fights Covid in hospital
‘She wasn’t at the protest, she did not support anti-vaxxers,’ one relative told The Daily Telegraph.
‘We understand that there are some people in our circle who are against it, but we have health workers in our family too and we’ve been encouraging everyone to get vaccinated.’
They added they hoped Ms Isaako’s death would be a wake up call to reconsider their views.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant said on Wednesday that Ms Isaako was not vaccinated.
‘Please do not delay care because we do not want to see consequences from delayed care,’ Dr Chant said.
Health officials added that anyone who has a positive Covid test and feels breathless or dizzy should call an ambulance immediately, as it is one of the warning signs that the body is struggling to fight the virus.
Her husband Sako is understood to be the person who called paramedics after Ms Isaako collapsed, frantically telling them she was not breathing and that he was also unwell.
He is now battling the delta strain of Covid in Nepean Hospital’s intensive care unit.
Tens of thousands of protesters marched in an anti-lockdown rally in Sydney on July 24 (pictured) in what was feared to be a super-spreader event
Police were called to the residence on Helena Avenue in Emerton around 3pm on Monday, following reports a woman was found unresponsive (pictured, ambulances outside the house)
‘Suko has the biggest heart and loves his family, his three children are everything… He says he will fight the virus… for them,’ a close relative said, adding he was too sick to respond to well wishers.
The couple’s children AJ, Deon and Mia, are being cared for by a relatives.
Ms Isaako would frequently be on the sidelines for AJ and Deon’s rugby games and Penrith RSL Junior Rugby Club shared their condolences on Facebook.
‘Our hearts are breaking and our thoughts are with your beautiful children, loving husband and wider family,’ the footy club said.
Her sister Lisa Baker said she was a cornerstone of her large family – who were now relying on each other for support.
Mr Isaako’s construction colleagues in the CFMEU also shared a message.
‘All at the CFMEU are rocked by the news and we extend our sincerest condolences to Mr Isaako, his family and friends,’ the union wrote.
Ianeta Isaako (pictured with her husband Sako) passed away after she was infected with Covid-19 NSW Health confirmed
A GoFundMe page setup on Wednesday has raised almost $40,000 in a matter of just eight hours.
‘Condolences to the Isaako family & Baker Family Stay strong Sako for your beautiful kids,’ one doner wrote.
‘Ianeta, I will always remember you as a kind and happy person. Sending love to you and your family,’ another said.
NSW Police said officers were called to a property on Helena Avenue in Emerton, Blacktown, at about 3pm on Monday, following reports a woman was found unresponsive.
NSW Health the mother-of-three, 30, died of Covid-19 at her home in Emerton in Sydney’s western suburbs (pictured, PPE-clad emergency workers at the scene)
‘Sadly, NSW Health has been notified of the death of a person who had Covid-19,’ a spokesperson said.
‘A woman in her 30s from Sydney’s west died at home.’
Neighbours said they would often see the family in the street.
‘There was a few of them in there, I think they might have lived next to their grandparents,’ one neighbour said.
‘They were a nice young family, you’d always see them playing out the front with their kids… very sad… she was in her 30s I think, it’s way too young.’
Sydney’s outbreak, which swelled by a record 919 cases on Wednesday, is seeing more and more young people infected and even hospitalised.
The family live in Blacktown (pictured) one of the areas being most badly hit by a wave of Covid cases
‘Till we meet again my dear sister. Our babies are safe sissy. I love and miss you so much,’ another relative said.
‘Thank you to all our family and friends who have reached out, this was our final goodbye to our sweet Ianeta, ohh too soon … way too soon,’ a relative wrote.
‘My heart is broken,’ another simply said.
‘I know there is nothing in this world matters anymore, when death takes the most beautiful part of your heart. I want you to think of what she would’ve wanted you to do,’ another added.
Her death comes as brave young Sydneysiders fighting the virus in hospital made a similar desperate plea for the nation to get vaccinated.
Young single mum Ramona (pictured, left) is a pharmacist and fears she was infected by an un-vaccinated customer, while Fawaz, 50, (right) begged Australians to get vaccinated
Gasping for breath, alone and terrified, the brave patients at Sydney’s Concord Hospital begged Australians to take the virus seriously, declaring ‘it’s not a game’.
In a series of emotional bedside interviews, a young single mother, a devastated tradie and a construction worker who infected his entire family, including his six children, pleaded with the nation to get vaccinated.
The video from the Sydney Local Health District on Wednesday comes as 645 NSW residents fight for their lives in hospitals across the state, with 113 of them being treated in overwhelmed Covid intensive care units.
Construction worker Fawaz, 50, is seen lying face-down barely able to speak in his hospital bed.
Bright yellow biohazard bags (pictured) were seen tied to the fence outside the property while several ambulances lined the street outside the family’s home on Monday
‘Today I am really bad: my fever, my headache, my breathing,’ he said.
The dad, from Putney in Sydney’s north, still has no idea how he contracted the virus which has now spread to his entire immediate family – including his six children.
At the time the video was shot one of his daughters had also been rushed to hospital because her condition was rapidly deteriorating.
‘She’s getting dizzy, her heart rate is too high and she is finding it hard to breathe,’ he said.
‘So please get vaccinated. I wish I knew beforehand… It’s not a game, it’s for real.’
Fawaz had been booked in to get the Pfizer jab for October, before being struck down before the appointment
Single mother Ramona, 30, who needs the assistance of breathing tubes, had received her first dose of the vaccine but is thought to have contracted the crippling respiratory virus while working at a pharmacy in Greenacre, in Sydney’s southwest.
Concord Hospital respiratory physician Associate Professor Lucy Morgan (pictured) said many of her Covid patients had stories of misinformation prior to falling ill
She said the community needs to ‘wake and realise this is real’.
‘You end up in hospital and you can’t breathe,’ she said fighting back tears.
‘All I can think about is my children. I haven’t seen them in a very long time.
‘I’m an essential worker. I could have contracted the virus from someone who didn’t want to get the vaccination.’
Ramona added that the mental anguish is equally as debilitating as the physical aspects of the gruelling disease.
‘I’ve had two kids and a major operation but I’ve never had to push myself to recover mentally this much,’ she said.
Concord Hospital respiratory physician Associate Professor Lucy Morgan said a growing number of her Covid patients are ‘really young’.