Covid-19: Royal Glamorgan health care assistant dies

A Unite health and safety representative, Mark Simons had been working "tirelessly" to protect staff

A health care assistant at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital has died after contracting coronavirus, a union has said.

Mark Simons worked at the hospital near Llantrisant, Rhondda Cynon Taf, and was a Unite union rep for staff at Cwm Taf Morgannwg Health Board.

He died on Tuesday, the union confirmed.

Unite Wales Secretary Peter Hugh said Mr Simons' family, friends and colleagues were devastated.

"His sad death displays the potential risks that NHS workers have to contend with, day in day out," Mr Hugh said.

At the end of September a major outbreak was declared at the hospital, with 186 cases and 51 deaths now linked to people contracting the virus there.

It is not clear if Mr Simons, a union health and safety representative, contracted the virus while at work.

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Since the pandemic started, more than 600 health and social care workers have caught Covid-19 and died across England, Scotland and Wales.

Mr Hughes said Mr Simons worked "tirelessly" on behalf of members at the health board.

"He was an outstanding health and safety rep who used his knowledge and great experience to protect workers within the health board, both before and during the current pandemic," he said.

"In tribute to Mark's work, Unite will continue to do everything it can to ensure NHS workers are protected from Covid-19 in the workplace.

"NHS staff are the true heroes of this pandemic and their continued safety is our primary objective".