Contracting coronavirus in hospital, says family

She was admitted to hospital for the operation on February 28.

Her son said: “Doctors afterwards were absolutely beside themselves that this had happened so quickly and that they didn’t pick it up earlier.”

Company manager Mr Loud, 50, said: “I do feel there was a ventilator lottery with my mum. I think bets were hedged on whether younger people might be infected and would need that equipment. The fact that my mum was 80 was probably not in her favour. I don’t think the resources are there.”

Her son said that until last week Mrs Edwards was allowed to have hospital visitors in the normal way, but that she was isolated in the last week of her life.

Mr Loud added: “Once they had suspicions that there might be the corona, they isolated the ward. We then had to go through a protocol every time we entered with masks, gloves and aprons.”

Mr Loud, his stepfather and daughter are now in self-isolation.

“We can’t organise a funeral,” said Mr Loud, who had been due to get married in four weeks’ time.

He said: “The one thing that kept her going was to be at my wedding.”

He said his message for the public was: “Please, please listen to what you’re being told.”

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which runs the hospital, declined to comment on an individual case.

A Public Health Wales spokesman said: “We have a responsibility to protect individuals tested and patients being treated for coronavirus. For this reason we will not share any information on these individuals other than that published in our official statements.”