Dental nurse dies after being diagnosed with coronavirus
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A senior dental nurse has died after receiving treatment for coronavirus.
Linnette Cruz, who worked at Brynteg dental practice in Swansea, was admitted to hospital last month after showing signs of COVID-19, ITV reports.
The senior head nurse died yesterday (April 14) and is survived by her husband, son and her parents.
According to the report, practice owner Nik Patel said she will be sadly missed – adding that she brought ‘love, light and joy’ to those around her.
Karl Bishop, the dental director for Swansea Bay University Health Board, described Linnette as caring and committed.
He said: ‘Linnette’s death is deeply upsetting to her family, friends and colleagues and all our thoughts are with them. She was a highly committed and caring dental nurse, respected by her colleagues, patients and the communities in which she worked.
‘Any death to COVID-19 is a very sad event, and where it affects a healthcare professional it is particularly upsetting.
‘The health board will provide all necessary support to the practice and staff during this difficult time.’
So far, more than 98, 400 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus in the UK. Of those confirmed cases, 12,868 people have died.
Dentists deliver babies
This comes as dentists step up to help deliver babies as part of the NHS coronavirus effort.
Professor Shakeel Shahdad, a consultant in restorative dentistry, said his department has been redeployed following lockdown.
Based at Barts Health NHS Trust and QMUL Institute of Dentistry, some dental professionals are now assisting midwives and helping in c-section procedures.
Professor Shahdad said there is extremely limited cover for dental emergencies. As a result, the dental space within the hospital has been reallocated to alleviate COVID-19 pressures.
‘As part of the large NHS Trust, we knew early on the redeployment was on the cards,’ he said.
‘Currently, our dental hospital space is being used for chemotherapy. This has allowed for space being made available in the main hospital for COVID patients.’
Professor Shahdad is also co-ordinating a project that is producing thousands of new visors to protect frontline NHS staff.
Working with departments such as the School of Engineering and Materials Science and Queen Mary’s Blizzard Institute, the newly-designed visor supports acetate sheets to provide full face and neck protection.
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