Coronavirus attacking healthcare staff: NHS nurse in UK critical after contracting COVID-19

  • 36-year-old NHS nurse Areema Nasreen in intensive care after she was infected by the Novel Coronavirus

  • The family said she was on annual leave when she first started showing symptoms

The deadly Coronavirus has killed several healthcare staff and doctors, including the Chinese doctor and whistleblower Li Wenliang and his colleagues. Now, an NHS nurse in UK battling for her life in hospital after being attacked by the Novel Coronavirus.

The 36-year-old nurse, Areema Nasreen is currently on a ventilator in intensive care in Walsall Manor Hospital in the West Midlands. She is the employee of the hospital for the past 16 years and just 10 days ago she developed the symptoms for COVID-19 which started with body aches, high temperature and then cough.

The NHS nurse

The mother of three, Areema tested positive for highly contagious respiratory disease caused by the new Coronavirus on Friday, March 20. As reported by the Sky News, the doctor at the hospital confirmed that she was very sick and her condition had deteriorated very quickly.

In addition, the unnamed doctor told the media that "I can't confirm much but I can say she deteriorated within the space of 24 hours and is in ITU [intensive treatment unit]. I agree we need awareness regarding this, so people realise the role the NHS is playing and risking themselves."

The sister of the nurse, Kazeema Nasreen who also works in the same hospital as a healthcare assistant said that the family thinks that she could have been infected by the virus "virtually anywhere." She also mentioned that Areema was on annual leave when she first started showing symptoms. The 22-year-old healthcare assistant said that her sister currently in a critical condition and on a ventilator, but she is "making tiny little progress."

ICU
Hospital ICU (Representational picture) Wikimedia commons

The Coronavirus victim

Areema lives with her husband and three children, who are currently in isolation and unable to visit the NHS nurse. But her sister got a chance to visit her and praised the hospital staff for taking good care of Areema.

Before she was put on a ventilator, Areema sent a text message to everyone to let them know and asked everyone to show respect to the NHS employees who she called her "family".

When she joined Walsall Manor Hospital as a housekeeper and qualified as a staff nurse in January 2019, she said "I would like to think that I can inspire others. I cry every morning because I am so happy that I have finally realised my dream of becoming a nurse. I would urge anyone reading this to not give up."

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