Couple with 13 children die of Covid a week apart
A huge family of 13 children have all been left orphaned after their parents died from COVID-19.
The tragic incident happened after Ukrainian couple Vladimir Rodikov, and his wife Diana were hospitalised at the Vasilkovsky central district hospital due to complications from COVID-19 in March.
Vladimir was the first to die after he passed away on March 20.
His wife Diana, who by that point was also in a critical condition, was transferred to the intensive care unit of the Alexander Hospital in Kiev, where she died just over a week later on March 29.
According to the Life's report, the family moved to the Kiev region from Donetsk in 2014. The couple decided to start a new life and found a family-type orphanage in the village of Lipovy Skitok.
The Rodikovs had 13 children, five were their own family and eight were foster children. Two of the children have now become adults but the rest are still children.
Mum receives top award month before death
The couple's selfless act of caring for such a large family had resulted in a Diana being awarded with the title of Mother Heroine just over a month ago.
It is an honorary title awarded by the President of Ukraine to women who have given birth and raised five or more children up to the age of eight.
When their parents were hospitalised, the children were at first transferred to the Kiev Regional Children's Hospital.
Now they are in 'Sezenkov', the Kiev regional centre for children.
Local news site Novosti Donbassa reported a friend of the family wrote on Facebook that the eldest daughter and her husband decided to take custody of the other children.
The Kiev Regional State Administration is apparently considering the request.
They reported that after the psychological rehabilitation, the Service for Children and Family Affairs will decide on their further arrangement and try not to separate them.
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