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A man in his 50s died after contracting coronavirus, the youngest Covid-19 victim in the country.
The man had been in the intensive care unit at Middlemore Hospital in Auckland and died on Friday afternoon, the Health Ministry said. He was believed to be working at the Mt Wellington Americold refrigeration store already linked to other recent Covid-19 cases.
Newshub reported that he was the father of four children and that other members of his family also had the virus.
His death was the first death for the Auckland August group and the 23rd Covid-19 related death in the country.
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The man’s death ends a 98-day streak without a coronavirus death.
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The latest Covid-19 death in the country, that of 96-year-old Eileen Margaret Hunter, was reported on May 28.
She was among five people in their 90s who died during the first outbreak.
Seven people in their 80s, seven people in their 70s and three people in their 60s also died during that outbreak.
The director general of the Ministry of Health, Dr. Ashley Bloomfield, said that the news reinforced the need for surveillance against Covid-19.
“I acknowledge the anxiety New Zealanders may be feeling about today’s news, both in the community at large and for the family and mourning this death,” said Bloomfield.
“Our thoughts are with his family and community in this time of loss and grief.”
Bloomfield said the ministry had always recognized that more Covid-19-related deaths are possible.
“Although the health system has done and will continue to do everything possible to prevent them, this can be a very difficult virus to treat and from which some people must recover.”
Bloomfield said the death reinforced the “very serious consequences that the virus can have and the measures that we all must take to stop the spread, break any chain of transmission and prevent deaths.”
A spokeswoman for the Manukau County Board of Health said the DHB would not comment further on the death.
Covid Deadly Tail Reminder
Public health expert Professor Michael Baker of the University of Otago noted that Covid-19 deaths of people under the age of 60 or 70 usually, but not always, occur from an underlying disease.
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Professor Michael Baker says the death highlights the importance of keeping case numbers low.
Baker said he was saddened by the news of the man’s death.
“With a single fatal case, you can’t really say much about why that person might have been more vulnerable,” he said.
“Given what we know about the risk of fatality with this disease, once you get … more than 150 cases in this group, unfortunately, we see a risk of fatality of about 1 percent.”
Baker said this death highlights the importance of keeping case numbers low.
Bevan Read / Stuff
Dr. David Galler says that the death of any patient is difficult for the Middlemore Hospital staff.
When they exceed 100, deaths become an unfortunate consequence, he said.
“I think it’s just one more reminder why we are … going to great lengths to eliminate this infection because this is how the public health is ultimately protected and also the health of the economy, they are actually quite linked.”
Dr. David Galler, an intensive care specialist at Middlemore Hospital, said he could not comment specifically on this case.
However, “every time there is a death of a patient it is an incredibly difficult time for everyone involved,” he said.
“This should serve as a reminder for people who may have forgotten how deadly this virus is and how important it is that we contain these groups.
“That’s why it was so important that it not spread too far south of Auckland.”
University of Auckland microbiologist Dr Siouxsie Wiles tweeted to say she was “devastated” upon learning of the death.
“Thinking of his family and friends.”
Dr. Dougal Sutherland, a clinical psychologist at Victoria University of Wellington, said he believes this death “will consolidate the anxiety of Kiwis around Covid-19.”
It was already “pretty high” since the Auckland cluster news broke, he said.
“You can see it in the [number] of people wearing face masks on the street. “
One death can have a big impact on a small country like New Zealand, Sutherland said.
“I think especially for people outside of Auckland who perhaps felt ‘good, why should we be under these restrictions?’, This will serve as a grim reminder that this is a complicated virus and that we must take ourselves very seriously.”
