Coronavirus risk stops family from attending 13-year-old boy's funeral
A 13-year-old British boy who died from coronavirus has been buried at a ceremony without his family present.
Ismail Mohamed Abdulwahab died on Monday at London's King's College Hospital, becoming the youngest known victim of the pandemic in Britain.
He was buried on Friday (local time) in a Muslim burial ground in Chislehurst, south London.
Mourners wearing face masks stood apart from one another to observe social distancing rules as a group of four people wearing protective gear, including bodysuits, face masks and gloves, lowered the boy's coffin into his final resting place, according to PA Media.
Heartbreakingly, Ismail's immediate family could not come to the funeral as they were in isolation after two of his six siblings starting showing symptoms of the virus.
Family friend Mark Stephenson said Ismail's younger brother and older sister had developed mild symptoms, including a fever and loss of taste.
He said Ismail's family was "devastated" at not being in attendance, but had been "very moved by the warmth and very positive messages of support from people" after the boy’s death.
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