Dreadful disease Covid-19 took my 81-year-old mom, says grieving son

A grieving Durban man confirmed that his 81-year-old mother died from Covid-19-related complications in hospital on Thursday afternoon.

Benjamin van Loggerenberg told TimesLIVE: “It is with heartache and sadness that we bid a final farewell to our dearest mom and granny, Drienie Dorrington, who was taken from us this afternoon after a short illness through this terrible Covid-19 virus.”

He said that due to her illness they were not allowed to see her.

The woman had been at the Bill Buchanan Association for the Aged in Morningside for only four days when she tested positive for the deadly virus.

He said his mom had died at 2.19pm.

The woman had been on a ventilator until Wednesday afternoon.

Van Loggerenberg said the family appreciated all the caring messages their family has received.

`“Thank you to all the doctors and nursing staff at St Augustine hospital for caring after our mother. A huge thank you to the management and mom's friends at Arcadia Old Age home for the joyful moments and caring you showered upon our mother.

“Rest in peace mom. You will be missed by all,” he said.

On Saturday, the home's spokesperson Dudley Fortune said a woman had recently been admitted to St Augustine's Hospital for a suspected stroke.

The woman, who is from the Bluff, south of Durban, was then discharged and admitted to the home's step-down facility.

“She was only here for four days when she got sick again. We sent her back to St Augustine's Hospital,” he said.

Since then four residents had tested positive for the virus.

During the department of health's last announcement on Tuesday, health minister Zweli Mkhize said the country's death toll from the coronavirus was five people.

He said that an Umlazi teacher had died earlier in the day.