Woman died from coronavirus in Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital after going in for routine operation
A woman died from coronavirus at a Welsh hospital after she had gone in for a routine operation.
Retired cleaner and keen golfer Marita Edward went to Newport’s Royal Gwent hospital for a routine gallbladder operation on 28 February.
Her son Stuart Loud says the otherwise fit 80-year-old caught the infection in hospital.
Last Thursday, almost three weeks after arriving at the hospital, she tested positive for Covid-19 and died the following day.
Aneurin Bevan health board has the UK's most significant coronavirus hotspot outside of London.
Marita's son Stuart Loud says: "If she had not been in hospital she would be still be alive.
“Clearly there was a coronavirus infection in the hospital which claimed my mum’s life.”
In a Facebook post after her death, he said: "I sit here, heartbroken by the loss of my beautiful mum.
"So much life left and so fit, a regular golfer. Taken by the Covid-19 Coronavirus.
"I sat for hours holding her hand and an oxygen mask to her face, as this extremely aggressive killer took control of her.Her death was horrific and a mental picture I can’t forget.
"The legacy is an uncertainty about the funeral and tribute she so deserved and my wedding in four weeks, which she was so looking forward to. All because of this virus.
"Please, please take this virus seriously. I don’t want anyone else to endure what our family is going through."
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, and the medical profession isn’t quite ready for this.”
Her son said that until last week, Mrs Edwards was allowed to be seen by hospital visitors in the normal way - but her son said 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."
Marita, who had a son, daughter and granddaughter, was one of five patients to die in Royal Gwent last weekend out of a total of 17 coronavirus deaths so far in Wales.
The Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, which runs the hospital, declined to comment on individual case.
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