Coronavirus: East of England Ambulance Service paramedic dies with Covid-19

The first East of England Ambulance Service (EEAS) paramedic has died with coronavirus.

Neil Ruch, who worked at Basildon Ambulance Station in Essex, died on Monday after being admitted to hospital in April.

Mr Ruch, who has worked as a paramedic with EEAS since 2013, originally came from Vevey in Switzerland and lived in Canvey Island.

EEAS has offered its condolences in an internal memo to staff.

Mr Ruch, who had previously worked at London Ambulance Service from 2006 to 2013, is the second EEAS staff member to die with Covid-19.

He had been on a ventilator in intensive care in Basildon Hospital.

Barry England, EEAS leading operations manager in Hemel Hempstead, died with the virus after being admitted to hospital on Easter Sunday.

He had worked for EEAS for 33 years.

"We offer our sincere condolences to Barry's family, friends and colleagues at this very difficult time," a spokesman for EEAS said.

A statement issued on behalf of Mr England's family in April said he was "extremely proud" to have worked for the service.

"The family would like to thank all the NHS staff who cared for Barry in hospital and for the support being received from his former colleagues," it said.

Unison Eastern regional organiser Sam Older said ambulance staff, along with NHS workers and those in social care, had literally put their lives on the line during the pandemic.

"It is really concerning. This just happens I think to be one of those unlucky ones. We raised a number of concerns a number of weeks or months ago regarding personal protective equipment," he said.

"They have now been met based on Public Health England guidelines and it will obviously be up to the NHS to investigate that. It is only two days after this very sad event."

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