Emergency services hold minute’s silence for pregnant nurse who died of Covid-19

Dozens of emergency service workers rallied round to pay tribute to Mary Agyeiwaa Agyapong, a pregnant nurse who died of Covid-19.

On its Twitter account, the fire service posted a video of its deputy chief fire officer Andrew Hopkinson giving a speech to commemorate Agyapong who worked at the Luton and Dunstable University Hospital for five years.

She died on Sunday and her baby daughter was delivered successfully by Caesarean section.

Hopkinson told well wishers: “We are taking the opportunity to remember and appreciate a wonderful young woman and nurse who’s made a huge contribution to this NHS trust and to the lives of so many patients she has cared for.

“Everyone here will remember her… and we are all grateful for her service.

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“It’s also a time to remember all those NHS staff who have died on the frontline fighting this virus.”

The speech was followed by a minute’s silence before emergency workers, including the East of England Ambulance Service, descended into applause and cheers.

Agyapong tested positive for Covid-19 on April 5 and was admitted to the hospital where she worked on April 7.

A GoFundMe page, set up on 15 April for her family and newborn baby, had raised more than £159,000 by the morning of 17 April.

The PA news agency has confirmed the deaths of at least 40 frontline NHS workers during the pandemic.