A UK paramedic has died after contracting coronavirus, says the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS).
“This will deeply affect many people within the trust and we are supporting our staff during this very sad time,” said the NWAS, which services north-west England.
It said they had lost a “very dear colleague” who had worked for the trust for a “considerable number of years”. The unnamed paramedic was married with children.
As of 16 April, the government said there had been 27 verified deaths of National Health Service staff during the pandemic. But others, including retired staff who still worked within the NHS, have also died.
At Saturday’s Downing Street briefing, Local Government Secretary Robert Jenrick said the UK death toll, which has now risen above 15,000, was “heartbreaking”.