CORONAVIRUS CRISIS: TRIBUTES TO
China quarantine hotel collapses
A HOTEL in China housing quarantined suspected victims of coronavirus collapsed leaving dozens of people trapped under piles of rubble.
Last night rescuers pulled out at least 30 people from the fivestorey Xinjia Hotel in the city of Quanzhou. Around 70 remained trapped, but there were no reported deaths.
It’s not clear what caused the collapse which happened at about 7.30pm local time – but an employee at the hotel, which opened two years ago, said work had recently been carried out on the foundations.
Chinese state media says the hotel was being used as a quarantine facility monitoring people who had had close contact with coronavirus patients.
It comes as there were no new reported cases of the virus in Hubei province, where the deadly outbreak began.
Victim is pulled from rubble
A FRIEND of one of the two coronavirus victims to die in Britain paid tribute to his pal last night and spoke of the heartbreak for his family.
The 83-year-old died four days after being admitted to hospital – following his return from a Caribbean cruise.
But anguished relatives cannot grieve properly because they are in isolation to stop the virus Covid-19 from spreading.
The victim, who we have chosen not to name, is from Buckinghamshire. He leaves a wife and grown-up children, as well as grandchildren and great-grandkids. His friend said: “He was a wonderful man. We spoke before his cruise and he was so excited. It’s heartbreaking for his family.”
It was revealed that the man, who had underlying health issues, died just 60 minutes after it was confirmed he had the illness.
The family posted tributes on social media as health chiefs confirmed the UK yesterday saw its highest daily jump in coronavirus cases, leaping by 42 to 206. Relatives said on social media the victim “would go to any length to support and protect his family”.
He was a truly loving person ...we are in isolation and cannot grieve as we’d wish VICTIM‘S FAMILY STATEMENTS ONLINE AND VIA HOSPITAL
NIGHTMARE
His family said in a statement via Milton Keynes University Hospital: “We as a family have lost a truly loving and wonderful person and are trying to come to terms with this.
“He was a wonderful husband, dad, grandad and great-grandad.”
“This whole nightmare is not something we or our loved one asked for.
“As we are in isolation, we cannot arrange for him to be put to rest, and with all the activity that is going around with regards to everyone’s concerns, we cannot grieve him as we would wish to.”
The victim had returned home from a winter cruise when he fell ill. He was admitted to hospital on Monday and placed on an open ward as the Caribbean did not feature on a virus “danger list”.
His family last night confirmed that “after observations” he was removed from the ward “as a precaution to carry out more intensive tests”.
Sources say he was put in isolation as medics tested him for Covid-19. He was pronounced dead on Thursday night, an hour after his condition was confirmed.
Yesterday a close relative posted online a treasured picture with the victim, adding: “Rest in peace and goodbye... love always, you’ll always be in our hearts xxx.”
A Liverpool fan wears a face mask in the stands at Anfield yesterday
It is understood 10 members of hospital staff and five patients were put into isolation after his death.
Concerns were raised that not enough was done to test him for coronavirus, or prevent it spreading.
A family source said. “When family turned up to visit him on Wednesday they were informed he was in isolation and