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Health Secretary Matt Hancock described the pensioner as “somebody older” who had “underlying health conditions”.
It is understood the pensioner had visited several countries on the cruise and officials are now scrambling to contact others he had been in contact with.
They added that his relatives were made “to wear suits in order to visit him” and have now been told to self-isolate along with some members of medical staff.
The family were reportedly informed last night via phone call from the hospital that he tested positive and he died an hour later.
They have now raised fears the hospital was too slow to spot the granddad had coronavirus and move him into isolation.
One told the Guardian: “Our concern is that the hospital were too slow to detect that our relative had symptoms similar to those of coronavirus and too slow to move him from a ward into isolation, and that that may have put a lot of people – fellow patients on the ward, staff who were looking after him and visitors who came to see him – at risk of contracting the virus from him.
“We think they should have put him into isolation right away, as soon as he arrived, given his symptoms. That was a failure by the hospital. He was coughing a lot and had quite severe symptoms.
“Despite that, he was put on a ward with lots of other sick patients for six or seven hours before he was moved into isolation. During that time a lot of relatives came to see him, both adults and children. Who knows if any of them have now got coronavirus and are maybe spreading it to older people who might get sick? “
OUTBREAK TAKING HOLD
Mr Hancock told ITV: “I am very sorry to hear the news of a second death here in the UK of somebody with coronavirus.
“My condolences go out to the family and to his loved ones.”
Professor Chris Whitty, Chief Medical Officer for England, said: “I am very sorry to report a second patient in England who tested positive Covid – has sadly died.
“I offer my sincere condolences to their family and friends and ask that their request for privacy is requested.
“The patient, who was being treated at the Milton Keynes University Hospital, was an older patient who had underlying health conditions. Contact tracing is already underway.”
Do you know the patient? Please phone 51 (0) 59621 or email tips @ the-sun.co.uk
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