WATCH | Colleagues honour Free State doctor who died of Covid-19

Health-care workers formed a guard of honour as the body of their colleague, Dr Mohammed Bobat, 56, was taken through the passage of Bongani Regional Hospital in Thabong, Welkom, as a final farewell.

Bobat died from Covid-19 related complications last week. He worked in the hospital's department of anaesthesia for over a decade.

Free State health department spokesperson Mondli Mvambi said health-care workers were living in constant fear of Covid-19.

To date 24 health-care workers have died from Covid-19 related illnesses in the province, he said.

Mvambi told TimesLIVE on Tuesday that Bobat was confirmed Covid-19 positive on July 25, and was admitted to ICU after displaying severe respiratory symptoms on July 26. He had underlying conditions — diabetes, asthma and hypertension.

“His family and colleagues are deeply saddened by his death. We are also deeply saddened by all other deaths of our colleagues due to Covid-19 related diseases,” he said.

“This puts a severe threat of fear and panic in many health workers as they ask themselves, who is next?”

TimesLIVE