Facebook post hits home as neighbour dies of Covid-19 in less than two weeks

A Facebook post detailing the final days of a man who allegedly died of Covid-19 related complications has gone viral.

On Tuesday, Marthinus Jansen van Vuuren from Melville, Johannesburg, shared details of how his unidentified neighbour lost his battle to the virus in less than two weeks.

In the post, Jansen van Vuuren said the neighbour tested positive on July 10 and, on Tuesday (July 21), the neighbour's wife sent a message on the street WhatsApp group that the neighbour had died in the early hours.

Jansen van Vuuren said the neighbour had jokingly invited everyone for a braai at his home after the news of his Covid-19 diagnosis.

“He jokes that we’re all invited to come and braai at his place — possibly aimed at some of our neighbours (including ourselves) who are not as safety conscious and law-abiding as he is,” said Jansen van Vuuren.

Seven days later, said Jansen van Vuuren, the wife sent a message stating that her husband was going to the hospital because he would not eat.

“He just needs a drip, she says. I see the ambulance and paramedics dressed in moon suits outside their house, and helpless family members looking on as he’s taken away. A surreal thing to see. Probably even more surreal to experience,” he said.

Jansen Van Vuuren said three days later, after the man was admitted to hospital, they learnt that he was on a ventilator and a day later the man was dead.

"[On Tuesday], a message that he passed away in the early hours of the morning [was sent]. And suddenly, or not so suddenly, the images and stories we saw on television, in the papers and social media over the last couple of months, now right on our doorstep,” he said.

The post received a lot of attention, with many expressing their condolences.

“This is the toughest time; we must all do our best to protect ourselves and each other,” one Facebook user wrote.

Check the viral post below.