Coronavirus: Nurse and midwife from Birmingham trust die with virus

A mental health nurse and a midwife who both worked at the same hospital trust died after contracting coronavirus.

Lillian Mudzivare, 41, and Safaa Alam, 30, worked at Birmingham Women's and Children's NHS Trust and died on Wednesday.

Four members of the staff at the trust have now died with Covid-19 after the deaths of paediatric consultant Dr Vishna Rasiah and Mark Piggott.

More than 100 NHS staff and healthcare workers have died in the pandemic.

Mrs Alam's husband, Shazad, said there was an "empty feeling and space in my life" left by her "premature" death.

"Saf was my beautiful and full-of-life wife. She was my childhood sweetheart and we grew up together," he said.

Mrs Mudzivare's husband, Moses, and their daughters issued a statement to say they were "devastated to lose such a wonderful person".

"She was a very proud nurse, always caring for those who needed her help," they said.

The trust's chief executive, Sarah-Jane Marsh, said Mrs Alam was an "amazing midwife whose skills and expertise helped to bring hundreds of new lives into the world".

She said Mrs Mudzivare had "touched the lives of everyone who knew her" through her work as a mental health nurse and she thanked her for her "commitment to the well-being of young people" in Birmingham.

Colleagues said they were "so sad" to lose Mrs Alam and Mrs Mudzivare.

"Safaa was loved by all of us here at Birmingham Women's," the trust's head of midwifery, Rachel Carter, said.

She said Mrs Alam was "a true role model, but she was also a dear friend and the glue to our team".

Elaine Kirwan, the deputy chief nurse for mental health services, said: "We were so proud when Lillian joined our team.

"She was a beautiful person, great friend, loved by us all."

Paediatric consultant Dr Vishna Rasiah, 48, who died in April, was described as "an amazing doctor" who was "passionate about the care of babies and their families".

Mark Piggott, 57, died on 1 May following treatment for the coronavirus disease. He had recently joined the trust and worked to improve the facilities and estates at the hospitals.

He was passionate about "the role that a therapeutic environment can play in the outcomes of women, children, young people and families," Ms Marsh said.

Mr Piggott leaves his wife, Julie, and two sons. Daniel and Alex, who were "devastated" to say goodbye to "a loving husband and fantastic dad".

Follow BBC West Midlands on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]