Coronavirus: Second North East Autism Society worker dies

Sue Gargett became ill with Covid-19 at Easter

A woman has become the second person at an autism charity to die after contracting coronavirus.

Sue Gargett, 53, had been an "invaluable" worker at the North East Autism Society (NEAS) before her death, the charity said.

She contracted the virus at Easter although its not known how. She died at the University Hospital of North Durham.

Her co-worker Margaret Blyth, 66, died in hospital in Sunderland in April.

Mrs Gargett, from Shotton Colliery in County Durham, helped people with autism find jobs and get prepared for work and had an underlying health condition.

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"Sue was an invaluable team player, who was always ready to jump to the support of her colleagues whenever it was needed," Derek Groves, NEAS employment services manager said.

"She was so emotionally involved in her role - she'd be ecstatic if ever someone got a job."

She had previously spent 10 years working with people with special educational needs at East Durham College.

Mr Groves said she was "highly respected" and "was a mother figure to the younger members of the team".

NEAS chief executive John Phillipson said it was not known how either Mrs Gargett or Mrs Blyth contracted the virus but they worked separately and no other staff members who have been close to either of them have shown any symptoms.