A seven-month pregnant mother woke up from two weeks on a coronavirus ventilator to be told her unborn child had died in South Africa.

Marzanne Lennox, 29, was admitted to the Life Wilgers Hospital in Pretoria with severe Covid-19 symptoms on June 30 and was put on a ventilator straight away.

Mrs Lennox – who was 30-weeks along at the time – was too weak for an emergency Caesarean delivery and her oxygen levels were dangerously low.

Her family were told that the baby had died shortly after, South African site News 24 reported.

Mrs Lennox herself was told Tuesday – once she was strong enough.

Mrs Lennox was admitted to the Life Wilgers Hospital in Pretoria with severe Covid-19 symptoms on June 30 and was put on a ventilator straight away.

But due to rules put in place by the hospital to slow the spread of the virus none of the family have been able to visit Mrs Lennox herself. She remained on the ventilator for two weeks.

South Africa has the most confirmed coronavirus cases in Africa with over 224,000.

Gauteng province – home to Pretoria where the hospital is – has the country’s most cases with over 75,000, or 33 per cent.

Provincial official Bandile Masuku, a medical doctor, last week told reporters that Gauteng is preparing over 1.5 million graves.