Flight attendant's haunting Facebook posts before Covid death
A series of haunting Facebook posts have emerged after a former flight attendant and mum of five tragically died of coronavirus.
Karen Hobbs, from Cardiff, Wales in the UK, died on January 19 after testing positive for the virus just before Christmas.
After suffering severe symptoms, the mum was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales on December 27.
In a Facebook post a day later, the 40-year-old said she had to call an ambulance after being sent home from hospital as she “couldn’t breathe again”.
“It’s fair to say Covid has well and truly kicked my butt,” she said.
Screenshots of another Facebook post two days later detailed the harrowing moment a woman in her ward died of the virus.
“The lady in the bed opposite me has just died in front of me – from Covid. Poor, poor lady, the nurses worked so hard to get her back but she couldn’t be helped,” she said.
“Let that serve as a warning to anyone who still thinks it’s okay the break the rules.”
Ms Hobbs’ condition deteriorated further and on January 2 she posted a harrowing final Facebook message.
“Being placed into an induced coma and warned that I might not make it, please everyone pray for me that I wake from this and come home to my kids. Terrified is not the word.”
Sister’s tragic updates before mum’s death
On January 8 Ms Hobbs’ sister Rachel delivered the positive news that her sister’s organs, kidneys and liver were functioning well.
“She no longer has a temperature and finished her antibiotics so it’s just getting her lungs to start working better. They have lowered her oxygen slightly to see how she responds,” she said.
“It will be a long road for her as she’s still poorly but a bit better than a few days ago.”
Then on January 19, the sister said Ms Hobbs was “still quite ill but stable”.
“Responding to antibiotics but it will be a slow process as consultants have said it will be three steps forward two back,” she said.
“If I get any important updates I’ll let you all know but it’ll probably be a long time before any massive changes,” Rachel wrote.
Tragically, Ms Hobbs succumbed to the virus that very day.
“Sadly on Tuesday 19th of January we lost a very special lady. A mum to five beautiful children, the best sister I could have asked for and friend to many. We are all devastated and still in shock,” Rachel later said on Facebook.
A GoFundMe page set up in the wake of the mum’s death has already raised more than $26,000 for her family.
“Karen was one of a kind, and the best friend anyone could wish for. Our brilliant memories of our times together we will cherish in our hearts forever,” the organiser wrote.
UK reaches ‘grim’ death toll
The UK recorded a further 1,631 deaths on Tuesday (local time), taking its overall toll to over 100,000 deaths.
It is the fifth highest death toll, while its 3.7 million confirmed cases ranks in the same position globally.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson spoke of the devastating effects of such a figure, while he said his government will “make sure we learn the lessons” from a torrid first year of the pandemic.
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"It's hard to compute the sorrow contained in that grim statistic, the years of life lost, the family gatherings not attended, and for so many relatives the missed chance, even to say goodbye," Johnson said.
However, his chief medical officer, Chris Witty, warned the public to expect further tragedy.
"Unfortunately, we're going to see quite a lot more deaths over the next few weeks before the effects of the vaccines begin to be felt," he said.
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