Cut down by virus, mother of twins and carer of infected son
THE mother of six-year-old twin boys and a woman stricken after caring for her infected son are among the latest victims to be added to Britain’s death toll.
Caroline Saunby, 48, was fit and healthy, but died in just four days.
She became ill last Thursday before collapsing at home.
Mrs Saunby, of New Marske, Teesside, was taken to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough by air ambulance, but died on Sunday, leaving twins Joseph and Elliot and husband Vic.
Her twin sister Sarah Jarvis said: ‘Our lives have been ripped apart forever by this horrendous virus that people still are not taking seriously enough.
‘Caroline was 48, fit and healthy with no existing conditions and she was taken from us in four days.
‘When will people start to take this as seriously as it needs to be?
‘She was just the most kind, selfless, generous, loyal person you would ever meet. Nothing was ever too much trouble. She couldn’t help being kind to all creatures and was loved by so many.
‘My only solace is knowing that she achieved her biggest goals in life – meeting the love of her life and getting married and having her beautiful boys.’
Elsewhere, a mother who cared for her infected son has died from the disease. Community volunteer Linda Tuppen, 66, was looking after Rob, 28, but as he recovered she began to have chest pains.
She died at home in Bolton. Now her younger son James, 23, is also in hospital with coronavirus.
The family of Thomas Harvey, 57 –the fifth NHS medic to die from coronavirus – complained about his lack of protective equipment.
The father of seven, of Hackney, east London, spent 20 years as a nurse at Goodmayes Hospital in Ilford, Essex. He caught the virus from a patient and died ‘gasping for air’ after collapsing at home on Sunday.
His son, also called Thomas, said the grandfather of three had been given only ‘gloves and a flimsy apron’ to protect himself, and accused the Government of letting his father down.
He added: ‘Why has it taken so long to get protective equipment? Why have we had to lose my dad?’ His sister, Tamira Harvey, added: ‘Dad was definitely let down. The Government could have prevented this.’ In the Caribbean, cruise passenger John Carter, 75, was among four to have died aboard the Zaandam, a luxury ship set to dock in Florida with 200 Britons on board and nine confirmed cases of Covid-19. Mr Carter’s widow has been isolated on board since his death. The Zaandam has been denied entry to ports in several countries, but US President Donald Trump said arrangements had been made with the UK to evacuate Britons.
Mr Carter’s family said his widow required assistance urgently, adding: ‘She is struggling to eat the limited meals and is feeling unwell. She is obviously distressed and extremely frightened.’
In Somerset, devastated Sally Brokenshaw told how her ‘strong’ brother David Harris, 65, succumbed to coronavirus within days.
Mrs Brokenshaw said Mr Harris, who lived and worked in Wells, died on Wednesday, March 25. She said: ‘My brother David went to hospital by ambulance on Sunday afternoon displaying the symptoms of Covid-19.
‘He walked into the ambulance unaided. At the hospital they immediately put him into a coma. On Tuesday his kidneys failed, then his lungs came under attack.
‘He was a big, strong man and my big brother. We all knew that he would fight and fight to stay with us. Covid-19 decided differently.’