EXCLUSIVE: Forklift driver, 27, who died in his own home after contracting Covid-19 was married just six weeks ago and felt '90 per cent fine' - as his heartbroken wife fights for her life in hospital
- Aude Al-Askar collapsed in the shower and could not be revived on Tuesday
- The 27-year-old had been diagnosed with Covid almost two weeks earlier
- But his family say he had a heart condition and are not certain Covid killed him
- Mr Al-Askar's wife is in hospital being treated for shock and for coronavirus
Pictured: Adi Al-Askar
A newly-married factory worker collapsed in the shower and died a day before he was due to finish home isolation with Covid-19.
Adi Al-Askar, 27, from Liverpool in Sydney’s south-west, had been ‘feeling 90% fine’ after being diagnosed with virus late last month.
He is believed to have been infected from his wife, who works in aged care. The couple were married just six weeks ago as Sydney was plunged into lockdown to stem the spread of the highly-infectious Delta variant.
But on Tuesday afternoon the young man collapsed and was unable to be revived.
New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejikilian said on Wednesday morning a man in his 20s had died from Covid, making him the youngest victim of the virus in NSW.
But Mr Al-Askar's cousin Khalid Thijeel told Daily Mail Australia that the family has a history of heart conditions, and they would be waiting for a Coroner to confirm his cause of death.
‘He woke up yesterday, he was feeling good, he had breakfast, called his family and then he had a shower about 4pm and that was it,’ Mr Thijeel said.
‘He only got married about 6 weeks ago… [he was] just starting his life.’
Pictured: Mr Al-Askar on his wedding day, just six weeks ago
Aude Al-Askar, 27, from Liverpool in Sydney’s south-west, had been ‘feeling 90% fine’ after being diagnosed with virus late last month
Mr Al-Askar's wife, who was quarantining with him inside their unit, found him unconscious in the shower and called for an ambulance.
She was rushed to hospital in shock. She, too, had minor symptoms.
‘He had no coughing, nothing,’ Mr Thijeel said.
Paramedics who responded to the emergency reportedly confirmed that he suffered heart failure, whereas the hospital specified that Covid was a contributing factor in his death.
He received a positive Covid diagnosis less than two weeks ago and did not develop any symptoms until about a week into his infection.
Even then, family say he was 'about 90 per cent fine'.
Mr Al-Askar was looking forward to being able to leave his home again after serving his two week isolation period - which would have expired on Wednesday.
Mr Al-Askar's cousin Khalid Thijeel (pictured together) said the family are not certain he died of Covid-19, despite what authorities have told them
Health workers are pictured at a Covid-19 testing clinic in Fairfield in Sydney's south-west
Friends have expressed their shock and horror at learning of Mr Al-Askar's death.
One woman, who went to weekend school with Mr Al-Askar to learn Arabic together, said he was one of the 'friendliest boys' she knew who had 'kindness in his heart for everyone'.
She was told that 'his heart couldn't handle the infection'.
Mr Al-Askar's cousin explained the 27-year-old forklift driver had not yet been vaccinated against Covid.
Given his youth, Mr Al-Askar didn't consider getting the jab a priority, and was still wary of potential long term effects the newly developed vaccine might have.
Mr Thijeel stressed his cousin was not an 'anti vaxxer', but was hesitant after mixed messaging from the government.
‘He was young, and it’s my understanding he wanted to see what long-term effects there were…he doesn’t have children yet, but would it affect them’,’ he said.
‘He was just waiting to see’.
Mr Al-Askar's cousin Khalid Thijeel told Daily Mail Australia that the family has a history of heart conditions, and they would be waiting for a Coroner to confirm his cause of death
New South Wales recorded another 233 cases of Covid-19 on Wednesday as Sydney's Delta outbreak continues to grow
Premier Gladys Berejiklian and chief health officer Kerry Chant are now urging all Sydneysiders to get vaccinated as soon as possible.
Young people were initially not considered a priority age group under the government rollout.
They've warned the Delta variant is spreading rampantly within young communities and repeatedly said that an increasing amount of under-40s are finding themselves in hospital after contracting the virus.
'This disease is lethal and it affects people of all ages,' Ms Berejiklian said on Wednesday.
'We can't stress how important it is to come forward and get vaccinated. If you are vaccinated you are staying out of hospital, staying out of the ICU and helping to reduce the spread of the virus.'
New South Wales recorded another 233 cases of Covid overnight.
Forty-seven of the new cases were infectious in the community. The source of 133 infections is still under investigation.
An unvaccinated woman in her 80s from Sydney's inner-west also died at the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital on Tuesday, taking the death toll from the city's latest outbreak of the highly-contagious Delta strain to 17.
Mr Al-Askar's cousin explained the 27-year-old forklift driver had not yet been vaccinated against Covid
The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation's latest advice states that increased transmissibility of the Delta variant outweighs any minor risks associated with the AstraZeneca jab.
'In a large outbreak, the benefits of the COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca are greater than the risk of rare side effects for all age groups,' the advice states.
'ATAGI reiterates that all adults in greater Sydney should strongly consider the benefits of earlier protection with COVID-19 Vaccine AstraZeneca rather than waiting for alternative vaccines.'
Six Australians have died as a result of developing blood clots after receiving their AstraZeneca jab, out of about 12.3million doses administered.
Meanwhile 17 people have died as a result of the current Covid outbreak in NSW.
NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant put the state's Hunter and Newcastle region - more than 100km away from Sydney - on alert after fragments of Covid-19 were found in sewage testing.
Given his youth, Mr Al-Askar didn't consider getting the jab a priority, and was still wary of potential long term effects the newly developed vaccine might have
She said the virus had been detected at three sewerage plants in the region which serve about 225,800 residents.
'We are dealing with one of the most challenging times we have ever experienced as a nation,' she said after a record 174 venues were added to NSW's spiralling list of coronavirus exposure sites overnight.
She called for Sydneysiders to more strictly follow the rules of the city's stay-at-home orders and revealed authorities were still finding cases where residents were flouting lockdown rules or not self-isolating properly.
'The numbers are going up because we have a high number of people still infectious in the community,' Dr Chant said.
'We are still having people who are still not isolating. We are still seeing people visiting their families.'
The 174 new exposure sites are spread across 80 suburbs and include 20 Woolworths supermarkets, three Bunnings, five Coles and a host of cafes, pharmacists and grocery stores.
The worst-hit area is Cabramatta with a whopping 14 sites, including a range of financial branches such as ANZ, a Commonwealth Bank branch and ATM, Westpac, Captain Cash Loans, Hai Ha Money Transfer and Western Union.
FIND THE LATEST EXPOSURE SITES NEAR YOU
Customers who shopped at any of the venues listed have been told to isolate until a negative test is received.
Everyday Happy Shoes is also on the list, as well as New Good Luck Butchery, Phuong Thao Fruit Ang Vegetable, Sharetea Cabramatta, Viet Hoa Seafoods and Woolworths Cabramatta which is listed between July 21 and 28.
Bankstown came a close second with 11 exposure sites, including Woolworths at Centro Shopping Centre which is listed 13 times under various dates spanning July 20 to July 31 after infected staff unknowingly worked with the virus.
An Aldi supermarket in Bankstown is also an exposure site, along with a BWS liquor store, a post office, Baby Bunting, three pharmacies, a kebab shop, bakery and a fruit store.
A Woolworths supermarket on Patrick Street was also on the list, along with Good Luck Meat, Daily Bread Shop, Coles and Broaster chicken.
In Campsie, also in Sydney's west, there were ten sites including Chemist Warehouse, Discount Drug Store, Alan Lo Chemist, Canaan Supermarket and Wholesale, Om Sri Stores, The World of Fruit and Woolworths.
Pendle Hill recorded ten infection sites, including 7-Eleven on Wentworth Avenue which has exposure five dates spanning from July 14 to 26.
CTC Pendle Hill is also on the list, along with Metro Petroleum, Pendle Hill Fish Market, Halal Meat, Mediadvice Pharmacy, Rajah Supermarket and Woolworths.
Other affected suburbs in the west included Parramatta with seven sites, Casula with five sites, Seven Hills with seven, Doonside with two, Hurstville with three, Quakers Hill with two and Wentworthville with three.
Further east, a person infected with Covid went to Chemist Warehouse on Pitt Street in the Sydney CBD on July 23 between 6.20pm and 6.40pm, and Guzman Y Gomez at Broadway Shopping Centre on July 29 between 8.05pm and 8.15pm.
A Covid-19 vaccination is administered at the Bankstown Sports Club on Tuesday. The Bankstown local government area is one of 11 LGAs under tougher restrictions than the rest of Sydney
The outbreak in the city's north appears to be fairly contained, with one site listed in Macquarie Park - an Aldi at the Macquarie Centre between 4pm and 4.30pm on July 24.
Ms Berejiklian meanwhile flagged on Tuesday Australia's largest city could start opening up in stages as the state, but for that to happen, she wanted six million jabs in arms across the state within weeks.
That would mean half the eligible population receiving either their first or second dose of a Covid-19 vaccination.
'We know that 10 million jabs gives us 80 per cent of the adult population vaccinated,' she said.
'By the end of August, I’d like to see New South Wales record six million jabs - that is roughly half the population with at least one or two doses.'
Ms Berejiklian said though even a 50 per cent vaccination rate would not be enough to completely remove all social distancing restrictions in Sydney.
'We would never relax completely at a 50 per cent vaccination rate,' she said.
'Every milestone we hit gives the government more options but we can't have those freedoms at 50 per cent.'
Comments 0
Share what you think
No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards.
