₦airaland Forum

A NHS nurse, 51, has tragically died of coronavirus after telling her family she had a "duty" to help patients with the deadly disease.

Onyenachi Obasi was today remembered as a "dedicated and loving" worker who "gave her life" doing what she loved.

The NHS nurse from Barking and Dagenham had been caring for a patient diagnosed with coronavirus when she caught the deadly bug herself.

The 51-year-old, who had no known underlying medical conditions, was ultimately admitted into hospital and put on a ventilator for five weeks.

And tragically, despite slowly showing signs of recovery, Ms Obasi caught an infection and passed away on May 6.

Her niece, Ijeoma Uzoukwu, said: "We are just heartbroken. She was really loving, really sweet and a really cute person.

"She was a good example of unconditional love and just loved everyone. She was so giving and always had an ear - she took people as they were.

"She loved her job, but that is what caused her to fall ill in the first place."

Ms Obasi had told her family that she felt she had a duty to work, and help, during the pandemic.

Ms Uzoukwu said: "She told me she had to do it."

More than 100 NHS workers have been killed by the bug since the pandemic started.

In April, the number of NHS workers killed by coronavirus nearly doubled in a week.

Ms Uzoukwu is organising a fundraiser to help pay for her aunt's funeral and to also help provide for her 19-year-old son, who is vulnerable and was dependant on her.

She said: "It was just the two of them, and he relied on her for so much. We want to make sure he is taken care of for the foreseeable future and get him the help that he needs.

"He is a really sweet boy, and he has taken after his mum. He is such a nice boy and he is finding it really hard without her."