A nurse on the front line of the UK’s coronavirus epidemic has died after testing positive, becoming the country’s youngest health worker to be killed by the disease.
Areema Nasreen, 36, was diagnosed with the infection in late March after developing a soaring temperature, body aches and a cough.
The mother-of-three, who had no underlying health conditions and had worked for the NHS for 16 years, was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands after her condition worsened.
She was put on a ventilator in intensive care where she was cared for by colleagues.
Rubi Aktar, a nurse at the hospital, paid tribute to her ‘best friend’, who she described as the ‘most loveliest, genuine person you could ever meet’.
In an emotional Facebook post, she wrote: ‘I am so broken that words can’t explain. I can’t believe I will not see your smile again.
‘You made me the nurse that I am today, with your support, motivation and inspiration I am the nurse that I am today and I hope I can do you proud Areema.
‘I love you so much and I will never forget you. You had so much to live for, I am sorry you didn’t get to see your kids grow up and I’m sorry that you didn’t get to complete your career.’
Areema Nasreen, 36, a Walsall staff nurse and mother-of-three who has died from coronavirus
When Ms Nasreen was diagnosed, her sister Kazeema urged people to take the illness seriously – saying it is ‘not just the elderly at risk’.
Kazeema said: ‘My sister who is an amazing nurse on the front line and who always helps so many has now caught this virus. She is critically ill in ICU, on a ventilator and fighting for her life.
‘I want everyone to know how dangerous this is. My sister is only 36 and is normally fit and healthy.
‘People are not taking this seriously enough. She is young – it is not just the elderly who are at risk.’
Areema first became unwell around March 12, suffering with ‘body aches’, a high temperature which could not be brought down and a cough.
Her sister said: ‘Her temperature would not go down and her cough was so bad it affected her lungs.
‘Eventually she got taken to hospital and they tested her two days ago. It came back positive and now she is in the Intensive Care Unit at the Manor Hospital.
The nurse, who has no underlying health conditions, and has worked for the NHS for 16 years, was taken to Walsall Manor Hospital
She is now on a ventilator in intensive care – being cared for by the medics she usually works alongside
‘We’re obviously not allowed to visit her but the hospital staff are keeping in touch and updating us as often as possible.
‘Areema loves the NHS. Her colleagues are like a second family and they have been truly amazing with her – and us. They are keeping us all strong and doing everything they can for her.
‘The Manor Hospital are brilliant and she has loved working there for over 15 years. She started off as housekeeping, then a Healthcare Assistant and now is qualified as a staff nurse.
‘She is my queen and is truly loved by everyone – always putting others first. We are heartbroken.’
So far, two patients confirmed to have coronavirus have died in Walsall.
The borough’s first coronavirus fatality was a woman in her 80s, who also had underlying health conditions when she contracted the illness.
She died on Thursday, March 12.
Walsall’s second coronavirus victim was a 75-year-old man, also suffering from underlying health conditions, who passed away on March 16.
It comes as seven more people in Wales died after contracting the coronavirus as the UK death toll hits 240 with 5,018 positive tests for Covid-19.
The surge in cases of the virus comes as Boris Johnson pleads with young people to take the potentially life-threatening infections more seriously.
Chief Medical Officer for Wales Dr Frank Atherton confirmed today that 12 people in Wales have died in total, with figures rising overnight by seven.
‘My thoughts are with their families and friends, and I ask that their privacy is respected at this very sad time,’ Dr Atherton said.
The total deaths in England rose by 56 yesterday, as a 41-year-old is thought to be the youngest victim in Britain since the outbreak began.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson urged Britons to celebrate Mother’s Day remotely by using video calls – as he admits the NHS could be ‘overwhelmed’ by the outbreak.
The PM warned that ‘the numbers are very stark and they are accelerating’ as doctors said a ‘tsunami’ of severely ill patients was about to engulf them.
They described near-apocalyptic scenes amid chronic shortages of basic equipment and fears that unprotected medics could become desperately ill themselves – or even become unwitting carriers and infect others.
As hospitals raced to convert operating theatres into intensive care wards and begged vets to hand over ventilators normally used for pets, Mr Johnson pleaded with the public to reduce social interaction, even with their mothers.
Mr Johnson said that ‘this Mother’s Day, the single best present that we can give… is to spare them the risk of catching a very dangerous disease’.