Covid: Nurse who died cared for untested patients

Dominga David came to the UK in 2004 to work as a nurse

A nurse who died with Covid had close contact with patients with the virus before her death, an inquest has heard.

Dominga David, 63, was sent home from a shift at Llandough Hospital in Penarth, Vale of Glamorgan after developing a temperature on 31 March 2020.

Her ward manager told Pontypridd Coroner's Court new patients were not routinely swabbed before admission.

Jane Linton said Ms David would "definitely" have had contact with patients who later tested positive.

Ms Linton, a nurse and ward manager at the hospital said it was Ms David's "work ethic" to be with patients.

She described Ms David as a dedicated nurse, saying she was "rarely" in the office or staffroom, preferring to be with her patients.

In a statement heard by the court, Ms David's niece Judith Juan said her aunt was born in the Philippines and moved to Wales in 2004.

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She added she was a "homebody, who liked to spend time watching sports on TV and who liked to cook for her closest friends".

Ms Linton described how between 19 and 27 March 2020, 26 recovering trauma patients were moved from University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff to her ward at Llandough, to make room for an anticipated increase in Covid patients coming from A&E.

Coroner Graeme Hughes asked whether they had been tested for Covid before admission.

"At that time we did not routinely swab patients, only if symptomatic," replied Ms Linton.

Ms Linton also described high levels of sickness among her staff, with many testing positive for Covid and some showing symptoms but unable to access tests.

Ms Linton also described how Ms David was sent home from that day and rang her boss a few days later to say she was feeling unwell.

Ms Linton told her to ring an ambulance and drove to the hospital site where Ms David lived in nurses accommodation.

She found her outside with a suitcase.

"She was short of breath, anxious, but she had a bag of snacks there with her as well. She was well prepared, like she would always be," she recalled.

The court heard Ms David died on 26 May 2020 after she deteriorated, with her kidneys and bowel affected.

Dr Sai Gopal, intensive care consultant, told the court Ms David initially worsened when intubated but did improve as the weeks went on. Staff were "optimistic" and felt that "she was not far from getting off the ventilator. "

But Ms David's health deteriorated on 25 May when she developed abdominal pains and she died the following day. Her cause of death was given as Covid-19 leading to ischemic bowel.

The court also heard that there was no full investigation by Cardiff and Vale health board into Ms David's death and that it was not reported to the Health and Safety Executive.

The hearing was told Ms David took medication for hypertension and had a history of prediabetes, meaning her blood sugar was higher than normal, but her GP said she was "otherwise fit and well".

Ms Linton told the court she was with Ms David in her final moments and helped make a video call to Ms David's son Renzie in the Philippines to say goodbye.

Coroner Graeme Hughes asked Ms Linton, "do you consider it more likely than not that Dominga David was exposed to Covid-19 while she was in work?"

Ms Linton said: "It's very hard to say but from all the likelihood, from all the information, I would probably say yes, but I don't know where Dominga had been while she was off. It is a highly likely possibility, yes."

Ms David had worked three 12-hour shifts before she died, the court heard.

Earlier this week, Mr Hughes also heard evidence regarding the death of Gareth Roberts, another Cardiff and Vale health board nurse who died with Covid.

The inquest continues.