Tragedy as seven-months pregnant mother wakes up from two weeks on a coronavirus ventilator to be told her unborn child had died in South Africa
- Marzanne Lennox, 29, admitted to Life Wilgers Hospital in Pretoria on June 30
- Mrs Lennox, who was 30-weeks along, was put on ventilator straight away
- Was too weak for an emergency Caesarean delivery and oxygen levels very low
- Tragically, Mrs Lennox has had no hospital visitors due to coronavirus rules
By Jemma Carr For Mailonline
Published: | Updated:
A seven-months 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.
Seven-months pregnant Marzanne Lennox, 29, (pictured) woke up from two weeks on a coronavirus ventilator to be told her unborn child had died in South Africa
Mrs Lennox’s father Skip Scheepers said: ‘The baby didn’t make it – he is with Jesus.
‘The pain just won’t go away – we now have to start organising a funeral.’
Doctors then performed a Caesarean section on Mrs Lennox to remove the baby.
Her father added: ‘They told her they were going to remove the baby moments before the operation. She was very emotional.’
Her husband Thomas, 30, was able to visit the hospital to meet with her doctors this week.
Mrs Lennox (pictured with her husband) 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
Her husband Thomas, 30, (pictured on their wedding day) was able to visit the hospital to meet with her doctors this week
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.
Mrs Lennox (pictured on her wedding day) – who was 30-weeks along at the time – was too weak for an emergency Caesarean delivery and her oxygen levels were dangerously low
‘It’s a reality that we need to deal with,’ he said, and it’s the public’s responsibility ‘to make sure that we don’t get there.’
But the province in a statement Thursday sought to calm fears, saying it ‘does not have over a million already open dug graves’ and clarified that the official was saying the province has enough space for that many.
It also said six members of Gauteng’s Covid-19 War Room have tested positive for the virus.
The number of cases in the country is continuing to rise with 12,757 reported on Wednesday alone.
Its death toll is fluctuating with 174 deaths reported on Tuesday and 107 reported on Wednesday. However, the total number of deaths is on an upwards curve.
Modelling has shown that South Africa will have between 40,000 and 80,000 deaths by the end of the year.
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