United Kingdom-based Congolese woman succumbed to Covid-19 after she was spat at by a suspected Covid-19 patient.
The now-deceased, Belly Mujinga,47, who worked as a railway ticket collector for Thameslink, died last month after having spent 3-days in the intensive care ward.
According to reports reaching this publication from tabloid paper Mirror, before her death, Belly had been assaulted at London’s Victoria Station by an irate passenger claiming to be a Covid-19 patient. The assailant, who is yet to be identified, reportedly spat at Belly and another unnamed colleague.
More alarmingly, both Belly and her co-worker fell ill from the virus 13 days after coming into contact with the assailant. Although the other woman recovered, Belly did not. Unfortunately, Belly’s husband Lusamba, 60, and their daughter Ingrid,11, never got to say goodbye.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s spokesman on Tuesday said that:
‘It’s a tragic and appalling case, we specifically strengthened the rules and the CPS published their own guidance to ensure people are protected from this sort of behaviour. It’s a really shocking incident and our thoughts are with the victim and their family.’
In an interview with the publication on Monday, Lusamba revealed that Belly had asked for a back-office when the threat of Covid-19 became apparent in early March, a request which was sadly turned down.
According to Lusamba, Bella’s employer insisted that she should continue dealing with customers face to face before social distancing rules had been installed.
Lusamba revealed that his wife’s request to get a back-office was turned down despite being unwell. She was also suffering from a lung condition which caused her to have shortness of breath and a persistent dry cough.
‘My daughter Ingrid just does not understand what has happened, how we can never be together again. It’s terrible to lose the person you love so quickly. We are sure she got the virus from the man who spat on her, and it could have been so easily avoided.
‘He just shouted at them, ‘What are you doing here?’ and then spat over them deliberately. Belly was so upset and so scared.
‘Our doctor had told us that she should keep away from people from three months because she was at risk. It was too dangerous, he told us.’
‘After this happened he called the train company, but by then it was too late, she had already been infected,’ said Lusamba.
