Nurse dies after tragic colleague’s PPE row
A NURSE has died at a hospital that was at the centre of a high- profile row over the lack of personal protective equipment.
Julie Edward’s death brings the number of UK healthcare heroes to succumb to coronavirus to 211.
Her passing on May 4 came three weeks after her colleague at the Royal Berkshire Hospital, Dr Peter Tun, died.
The consultant had warned bosses that without urgent PPE to avoid infection “it will be too little, too late” for fellow NHS staff. Trust chief executive Steve McManus said: “We are deeply saddened. Julie’s kindness and dedication to her job and patients was clear.”
The family of Dr Tun, after his death on April 13, said he had been in contact with five virus patients.
An investigation is being conducted into Dr Tun’s PPE emails and his family’s complaint that he was under-equipped. Meanwhile, an “outstanding” GP has lost her two-month battle with Covid-19.
Dr Poornima Nair, 56, died at the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton.
She was put on life support on March 27 but was not thought to have had underlying health issues.
Delhi-born Dr Nair was married to Shlok Balupuri, a surgeon at Sunderland Royal Hospital.
Her son Varun said: “She felt no pain and my father was with her in her final moments. Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers”. Dr Nair, of the Station View Medical Centre, Bishop Auckland, Co Durham, was also seen as a “valued member of the community”.
Tributes have been paid to “amazing” paramedic and dad-ofthree Peter Hart, of Horley, Surrey, who passed away from coronavirus on his 52nd birthday.
And “dedicated and loving” nurse Onyenachi Obasi, 51, from east London, has died five weeks after being placed on a ventilator.