A Labour candidate’s father and darts player’s wife of 48 years have become the latest named victims of coronavirus.
Ali Milani, who stood for Labour in the prime minister’s constituency last year, said his father died this morning, eight days after the virus was diagnosed.
And heartbroken Liverpool fan Geoff Martin, from Warrington, Cheshire, wrote on Twitter today that his wife Susan had died on Thursday night.
Both have urged everyone to heed public advice to halt the rapid spread of COVID-19.
There have been 177 deaths due to coronavirus in the UK so far and almost 4,000 cases, although the actual number is thought to be higher.
Ali Milani, who stood for Labour in the prime minister’s constituency of Uxbridge and South Ruislip last year, said his father died this morning
Heartbroken Geoff Martin, from Warrington, Cheshire, wrote on Twitter that his wife of 48 years, Susan (pictured), had died from coronavirus on Thursday
Mr Milani, who campaigned in Uxbridge and South Ruislip, asked others to keep his father ‘in your prayers’ on social media, after announcing the death.
‘The virus is taking millions all across the world,’ he said. ‘Please ISOLATE and listen to medical advice!’
‘A few friends have kindly set up a donation page in my Dad’s memory. Please give (only if you can) and help others in need of urgent assistance.
‘It is only through solidarity, kindness and strength given to us that we will get through.’
Mr Milani’s father was being treated at a hospital in Tehran, Iran. The country is currently battling one of the world’s worst outbreaks of the virus.
Mr Martin (pictured) urged people to be careful and treat the virus seriously
It came after semi-professional darts player Mr Martin wrote on Twitter: ‘Not many people will see this tweet.
‘But it is with a heavy heart I must announce that my wife of 48 years, Susan, lost her battle against the deadly coronavirus on (Thursday) night.
‘I’m devastated. Please everybody take this virus seriously, that’s all I ask. Take care, everyone.’
The tweet was shared more than 100,000 times on social media.
Liverpool FC, which is Mr Martin’s favourite football club, responded, writing: ‘Our deepest condolences.’
Mr Martin’s twitter account also describes him as a Black Eyed Peas fan and crossword lover.
Craig Ruston, in his 40s, is thought to be the youngest person in the UK to have died after testing positive for coronavirus.
The father-of-two from Kettering, Northamptonshire, died on Monday following a chest infection. Mr Ruston was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 2018, when he was 42 years old.
The government has repeatedly appealed for people to take simple precautions such as washing their hands, in order to stop the disease spreading.
Boris Johnson ordered the closure of all pubs, bars, cafes and gyms last night across the country in an attempt to get people to stay indoors and halt the virus’s spread.
Many hospitals are already reportedly overwhelmed and struggling to cope with the outbreak.
Northwick Park hospital in Harrow, London, declared an emergency on Thursday after it ran out of beds in its critical care unit. This was lifted 24 hours later, when patients were transferred to other hospitals.
Barnet, Lewisham and Greenwich, Epsom and St Helier, North Middlesex and Hillingdon, are all reportedly struggling to deal with the influx of patients.