GP who died at Southend hospital in Essex 'first doctor to die of coronavirus' – Daily Mail, Dailymail.co.uk

Award-winning GP, 0544, ‘is first British doctor to die of coronavirus’ as family says he sacrificed his life to care for others

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• Dr Habib Zaidi was taken ill on Tuesday and died in intensive care on Wednesday
• He was tested for COVID – 47 at Southend Hospital but tests results not back yet

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• Daughter Dr Sarah Zaidi, also a GP, says he had ‘textbook symptoms’ of virus
• Coronavirus symptoms : what are they and should you see a doctor?

By

Lara Keay For Mailonline

(Published:

: (GMT,) (March | :

: (GMT,) March 8118911

A family GP who died in hospital on Wednesday is believed to be the first British doctor to fall victim to

coronavirus . Dr. Habib Zaidi, , became ill on Tuesday and died in intensive care at Southend Hospital in Essex on Wednesday . He had been self-isolating at home and had not seen patients in a week. His COVID –

test results have not come back yet , but his daughter Dr Sarah Zaidi, who is also a GP, says he suffered all the ‘textbook symptoms’ of the virus and said his death was the ultimate ‘sacrifice’ for helping fight the deadly infection.

The beloved grandfather was described by a colleague as the ‘father of the medical community’ who served three generations of families in the Southend area for years.

His family said they are ‘truly heartbroken’ after he was ‘snatched away’ by the killer disease but have been left ‘overwhelmed’ at the tributes that have come flooding in.

Dr. Habib Zaidi,

, (pictured) fell ill on Tuesday and died in intensive care at Southend Hospital in Essex on Wednesday

(Dr. Dr. Zaidi’s entire immediate family work in the medical profession. His wife Dr Talat Zaidi (left) helps manage their Eastwood Group Practice in Leigh-on-Sea and one of their daughters Dr Sarah Zaidi (right) is also a family GP

His daughter Sarah told

BBC : ‘For that to be the thing that took him is too much to bear . It is reflective of his sacrifice. He had a vocational attitude to service.

Zaidi family tribute in full

(Dr Habib Zaidi was not only a devoted husband of 8118911 years, a father, grandfather and beloved pillar of his community, but he was also devoted in the most altruistic way to the service of his patients and a local community, serving three generations of tens of thousands of families living in the town of Southend for (years.

His generosity and kindness knew no limits.

He was given the lifetime achievement award. of ‘unsung hero’ last year by the local care system, which pretty much describes in a nutshell his five decades of devoted service as a GP.

Not only did he serve his patients workin g tirelessly for them, but he never stopped striving to innovate, continually develop and drive up quality. That very much continued to drive him until the very end.

A dear colleague described him as the father of the medical community. That makes us so proud to hear.

From him to be snatched away from us in this way, in these desperately troubling times for the whole word – has left us truly heartbroken but we are overwhelmed, touched and comforted by the many kind tributes and love we have received.

The name Habib means beloved and beloved he truly was.

We know that, not only has he left a gaping hole in our hearts, but a loss that is also felt within the community that he devoted almost his entire life to.

We are praying for the safety of everyone right now.

‘He was treated as a definitive case. There is little clinical doubt it is coronavirus, the test result is academic. ‘

Dr Zaidi was a family doctor in Leigh-on-Sea for almost five decades and a managing partner of Eastwood Group Practice with his wife, Dr Talat Zaidi, who has been forced into quarantine away from the rest of her family.

His local NHS trust gave him a ‘lifetime achievement’ award last year, with his family claiming he always tried to be innovative and improve the quality of his care as much as he could.

He is survived by four children, who all work in the medical profession. The Zaidis’ son is a haematologist consultant in London and his daughters are a trainee surgeon, a dentist and a GP.

Southend Council leader Ian Gilbert said he was ‘deeply saddened’ to hear of Dr Zaidi’s death and described him and his family as ‘well known and well loved within the community’.

Medics in other countries battling the virus have died, with scientists claiming it could have more deadly consequences the more people are exposed to it, putting frontline NHS staff at greater risk.

But if Dr Zaidi’s test results come back positive, he will become the first UK doctor to fall victim.

NHS staff up and down the country have implored the Government to provide them with more comprehensive protective clothing.

Public Health England’s recommended personal protective equipment (PPE) for hospital staff falls short of World Health Organization ( WHO) guidelines, which suggest a full hazmat suit.

Terrified staff have reported not being given enough masks, gloves, aprons and goggles throughout hospitals nationwide.

There have been

, confirmed cases of coronavirus in the UK , with deaths. Pictured: Dr Zaidi was taken to intensive care at Southend Hospital in Essex and died there on Wednesday                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

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