'Save it for the younger patients': 90yo woman dies of Covid-19 after refusing respirator

31 Mar, 2020 06:20 AM2 minutes to read

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A timeline of Covid-19 as the number of confirmed cases increases around the world.

NZ Herald

Suzanne Hoylaerts, 90, from Lubbeek in Belgium, died of Covid-19, after telling doctors to save the ventilators for younger patients.

Hoylaerts reportedly fell ill two weeks ago and died of Covid-19 on March 21.

Her daughter, Judith, took her to the doctor when she began losing her appetite and feeling short of breath.

"She had pneumonia and was hospitalised last year," her daughter told Het Laatste Nieuws.

She was taken to hospital and the doctor said her oxygen saturation was too low.

Shortly after, she tested positive for Covid-19.

Her daughter was not allowed to see her any more as she was placed in isolation.

Judith told local media her mother's last words to her were: "You can't cry. You did everything you could. I had a good life."

The doctors told her that her mother, who died the day after being admitted to hospital, refused a ventilator.

"I don't want to use artificial respiration. Save it for younger patients. I already had a good life," she reportedly told doctors.

Her daughter says the family does not know how the 90-year-old contracted Covid-19 as she "took the lockdown seriously".

The family is now coming to terms with the fact that they can't farewell her properly.

"I can't say goodbye to her, and I don't even have a chance to attend her funeral," her daughter said.

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