Coronavirus: Pregnant NHS nurse dies from Covid-19 but baby saved

Newborn girl doing well, hospital says, but it’s unclear whether she has tested positive for Covid-19

The baby of a pregnant nurse was saved just before her mother died from Covid-19 at a hospital in England.

Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, 28, who worked on a general ward at Luton and Dunstable University Hospital for five years, had undergone an emergency caesarean section soon after being admitted.

Her newborn daughter is in good health, according to the hospital.

But Ms Agyapong, who had no other serious health conditions, died days later.

She is one of at least 45 NHS staff, many of them nurses, who have died of Covid-19.

It is not clear whether her baby or Ms Agyapong’s husband – who is believed to be self-isolating – have tested positive for the disease.

The Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust said that Ms Agyapong tested positive on 5 April and was admitted to the hospital where she worked on 7 April.

The nurse, who had been working until 12 March, well into her third trimester, was on a general ward which has since been converted to treat coronavirus, Channel 4 News reported.

A source told the programme nurses had regularly faced shortages of protective gear including gowns, leaving staff unhappy and fearing they could have been exposed to the virus.

The hospital said it had not suffered any significant equipment shortages and did not have any coronavirus patients on the ward where she worked at the time Ms Agyapong took maternity leave.

Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists guidance states that after 28 weeks’ gestation women should work in safe environments.

But Joeli Brearley, founder of Pregnant Then Screwed, which campaigns for the rights of pregnant women, said the guidance had caused confusion. She said all pregnant women should be advised not to work in patient-facing roles and should be at home on full pay.

Hospital chiefs said the correct procedures for pregnant staff had been followed, and that Ms Agyapong had not been treating anyone confirmed or suspected of having coronavirus.

David Carter, chief executive of the trust, said: “It is with great sadness that I can confirm the death of one of our nurses, Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, who passed away on Sunday.

“Mary worked here for five years, and was a highly valued and loved member of our team, a fantastic nurse and a great example of what we stand for in this trust.

“She tested positive for Covid-19 after being tested on 5 April and was admitted to the hospital on 7 April.

“Our thoughts and deepest condolences are with Mary’s family and friends at this sad time.

“We ask that the family’s privacy is respected at this time.”

Additional reporting by PA