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An American emergency room doctor, who was working on the frontlines of the coronavirus outbreak, has sadly died just one week after he developed coronavirus symptoms.
Dr Frank Garbin from New Jersey in the US was the first emergency physician to die, after showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), according to the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP).
“We’re deeply saddened to learn that a former ACEP member and our current colleague on the frontlines – an emergency physician – has lost his fight against this virus,” Dr William Jaquis, president of ACEP, said in a statement.
“Emergency physicians understand that sometimes in our efforts to save your life, we may end up sacrificing our own.
“This isn’t a decision made lightly or a post abandoned in times of need. We know the risks of the job we signed up for, but we’re on the frontlines in this historic war against COVID-19 with insufficient protection.”
According to his husband, Arnold Vargas, the 60-year-old woke up Tuesday morning with chest pain after feeling unwell for a number of days.
Arnold Vargas told CBS News that Dr Frank died in his arms at their New York City apartment before paramedics could arrive on the scene to help.
A friend of the couple, who tied the knot last year, said the doctor was planning to return to work as soon as he recovered.
“He planned to go back to work when he recovered. It took only five days from the first sign of symptoms,” Debra Vasalech Lyons wrote on social media. “We’re devastated.
“We need to make something good come from this.
“I don’t think we’re seeing that we have selfish healthcare workers right now, they’re doing what they can even though they’re putting themselves and most importantly their families at risk as well.”
