Essex GP Dr Habib Zaidi feared to be first UK doctor to die of Covid-19
An Essex GP is believed to have become the first doctor in the UK to have died after contracting coronavirus.
It's understood Dr Habib Zaidi, 76, died at Southend Hospital on Wednesday.
It's thought he'd first been taken ill 24 hours earlier.
Tests haven't yet confirmed that he died of Covid-19, but his daughter Sarah, who is also a GP, said he showed "textbook symptoms" of the virus.
In a statement, the leader of Southend-on-Sea Borough Council, Cllr Ian Gilbert, said: “We are deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dr Zaidi. Dr Zaidi and his family are well known and well-loved within the community, and it is with great sadness we learned of his passing.
“Our thoughts are with his family at this incredibly difficult time.”
Dr Zaidi worked as a GP in Leigh-on-Sea, and had reportedly not seen patients in person for about a week.
It's thought he was self-isolating when he became ill.
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