A frontline NHS nurse who had been battling coronavirus died just moments after her husband whispered ‘don’t worry about the kids’.
Areema Nasreen, 36, died in intensive care at Walsall Manor Hospital, West Midlands, where she had worked.
The mother-of-three, who leaves behind children aged 8, 10, and 17, became the country’s youngest health worker to be killed by the disease.
Areema Nasreen, 36, (pictured) died earlier today in intensive care at Walsall Manor Hospital, West Midlands, where she had worked
Areema first tested positive for the virus after developing a soaring temperature, body aches and a cough.
The nurse, who has no underlying health conditions and had worked for the NHS for 16 years, was put on a ventilator but died earlier today.
Areema’s sister Ash, 31, told the Sun: ‘We’re distraught. We are all just broken – we’ve just got no words.
‘Areema was on the ventilator and just before she died, her husband said to her “don’t worry about the kids”.
‘She started to cry. The doctors said please don’t hug her, because of the virus, but he said he had to.
‘Then she passed away. We are all absolutely devastated.’
Her family are now pleading that people follow the coronavirus lockdown rules.
The mother-of-three, who leaves behind children aged 8, 10, and 17, became the country’s youngest health worker to be killed by the disease. Pictured: Areema with her husband
The nurse, who has no underlying health conditions, had worked for the NHS for 16 years. Pictured: Walsall Manor Hospital
A second frontline nurse, Aimee O’Rourke, 39, also passed away after treating patients at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent.
England’s chief nurse, Ruth May, today paid tribute to both women.
Flanking Health Secretary Matt Hancock at a news conference this afternoon, Ms May said: ‘This weekend is going to be very warm and it will be very tempting to go out and enjoy those summer rays.
‘But please, I ask to remember Aimee and Areema. Please stay at home for them.’
Mr Hancock echoed her, saying people should resist the urge to get out and about, saying: ‘If we do people will die’.
A second frontline nurse, Aimee O’Rourke, 39, (pictured) also passed away after treating patients at the Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother Hospital in Margate, Kent
It comes as the latest figures reported 38,168 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in the UK with the death toll currently at 3,605.
NHS staff working at the coalface are among the most at risk to contracting the virus.
Dr Habib Zaidi, 76, became ill and died in intensive care on March 25 at Southend Hospital in Essex on Wednesday.
Dr Adil El Tayar, 63, died on March 28 after contracting the virus at the Hereford County Hospital.
England’s chief nurse, Ruth May (pictured), today paid tribute to both Areema and Aimee
Dr Amged El-Hawrani, 55, an ear nose and throat (ENT) specialist at Queen’s Hospital Burton, died on March 29.
Nurse Thomas Harvey, 57, of Goodmayes Hospital, London, died on Sunday after contracting the virus.
Dr Alfa Saadu, 68, died on Tuesday after working at Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.