Coronavirus: Money raised for railway worker who died after being spat on

More than £10,000 has been raised for the family of a railway ticket office worker who died with coronavirus after being spat at while on duty.

Belly Mujinga, who had an 11-year-old daughter, was on the concourse of Victoria station in London when a member of the public who said he had Covid-19 spat and coughed at her and a colleague.

Both women fell ill with the virus, and Ms Mujinga died in hospital in Barnet 11 days after the attack on April 5.

A fundraising page for Ms Mujinga’s family has surpassed its £1,000 target and stood at £10,300 as of the early hours of Wednesday.

The attack on Ms Mujinga, who had underlying respiratory problems, was widely condemned, with Transport Salaried Staffs Association (TSSA) general secretary Manuel Cortes saying he was “shocked and devastated” at the death.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “It is despicable for a key worker to be attacked in this way while serving the travelling public.”

Ms Mujinga’s husband, Lusamba Gode Katalay, told the PA news agency how the suspect walked up to her and spat in her face on March 22.

He said: “The man asked her what she was doing, why she was there, and she said they were working.

“The man said he had the virus and spat on them. They reported it to their supervisor. Belly came home and told me everything.

“We did a WhatsApp video in hospital, but then I didn’t hear from her again. I thought she might be asleep, but the doctor phoned me to tell me she had died.”