BIRMINGHAM: A Pakistan origin Saltley pensioner has died in hospital less than 24 hours after being diagnosed with coronavirus. Afsar Hussain, aged 86, passed away in the early hours of Saturday, March 21, at Heartlands Hospital.
He had been diagnosed with the severe respiratory infection Covid-19 just hours earlier, after being admitted to hospital with a urine infection. Afsar, a former Dudley Road foundry worker, was a father-of-eight and grandfather to 19.
According to a Birmingham Mail report, he had suffered kidney problems for a number of years and was a regular at Heartlands Hospital, where he had appointments every few weeks.
When he became unwell days ago he was first prescribed antibiotics but after his condition deteriorated he was admitted to hospital.There he took a turn for the worse, and began to suffer with breathing problems. On Friday, a test for coronavirus came back positive.
Meanwhile, in Manchester, a NHS nurse is fighting for her life in hospital after contracting coronavirus. Areema Nasreen, 36, is currently on a ventilator at Walsall Manor Hospital. Before being diagnosed, the mum-of-three developed a soaring temperature, body aches and a cough – classic symptoms of COVID-19, the Manchester on Line has reported. .
Areema’s sister has now urged others to take the disease seriously – emphasising that it is ‘not just the elderly at risk’. Areema, who has worked for the NHS for 16 years, is now being treated in intensive care by her colleagues.
Her sister 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.”