Midwife, 54, dies after testing positive for coronavirus 

The first NHS midwife to die after testing positive for coronavirus has been named as 54-year-old Lynsay Coventry. 

Ms Coventry’s family said their ‘hearts are broken at the loss of our loving, wonderful and caring mum, sister, daughter and grandmother’.

She is the latest NHS worker to die during the epidemic, which has infected 47,806 and killed 4,934.

Two nurses – both young mothers-of-three – five doctors and two healthcare assistants have also died with coronavirus. 

The Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, where Ms Coventry worked for 10 years, today confirmed the midwife died on Thursday, April 2.

Ms Coventry passed away at neighbouring Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust after initially self-isolating at home and was not at work before her death.

Lynsay Coventry’s colleagues at the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Harlow, Essex, pay tribute

The Princess Alexandra Hospital confirmed Ms Coventry, 54, died on Thursday April 2 at Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

The Princess Alexandra Hospital confirmed Ms Coventry, 54, died on Thursday April 2 at Mid Essex Hospital Services NHS Trust

With ‘great sadness’, the chief executive of the Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust Lance McCarthy, announced her death and paid tribute to her ‘professionalism and commitment’. 

In a statement, Ms Coventry’s family said: ‘As a family, our hearts are broken at the loss of our loving, wonderful and caring mum, sister, daughter and grandmother.

‘We each know how much she loved and cherished us. Her love for us all was unfailing and her strength in the way she cared and supported us will fill our memories. 

‘What we also know is how proud she was to be an NHS midwife. Lynsay followed her dream and trained as a midwife later in life. 

‘It was a role she committed herself to and saw the midwifery team at the Princess Alexandra Hospital as her other family. 

‘She was a very well-respected midwife who supported many hundreds of women as they welcomed their babies into the world.’

Areema Nasreen, 36, a Walsall staff nurse and mother-of-three, has died from coronavirus, becoming the country's youngest health worker to be killed by the disease

Aimee O'Rourke, 39, passed away last night at the QEQM Hospital in Margate, Kent, following the surfacing of symptoms two weeks ago

Two nurses – both young mothers-of-three (Amreema Nasreen, 36, left, and Aimee O’Rourke, 39, right) – five doctors and two healthcare assistants have also contracted died with since the start of the outbreak 

Jacqueline Dunkley-Bent, chief midwifery officer for England, said: ‘I was deeply moved and saddened to hear about the death of Lynsay Coventry. 

‘Lynsay was clearly a highly-regarded midwife whose dedication to women, babies and their families will be remembered and cherished by her own family and her colleagues – my deepest thoughts are with them, her children, grandchildren, parents and siblings. 

‘The outpouring of support for NHS staff as we respond to this outbreak has been extraordinary, but the best way for people to do their bit for midwives, nurses, doctors and other NHS staff is to help protect us by following the Government’s advice to stay at home and save lives.’

The nation had already been mourning the deaths of frontline NHS staff who lost their lives after testing positive. 

John Alagos, 23, the third nurse and the youngest British medic believed to have succumbed to the deadly Covid-19 virus, collapsed and died at home after an exhausting 12-hour shift. 

Nurse Areema Nasreen, 36, a Walsall staff nurse and mother-of-three, died with coronavirus.

Another nurse, Aimee O’Rourke, 39, passed away at the QEQM Hospital in Margate, Kent, following the surfacing of symptoms two weeks ago 

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. 

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 after contracting the virus. 

Dr Alfa Saadu, 68, died after working at Queen Victoria Memorial Hospital in Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire.  

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