Covid 19 coronavirus: Waihi woman's heartache after aunt succumbs to virus, uncle ill after Ruby Princess trip

A Waihi woman is distraught after her Uncle Graeme and Aunty Karla were struck down with Covid-19. Karla has since died of the virus, while Graeme remains seriously ill. Photo / Supplied

A Waihi woman who just lost her aunt to Covid-19, and whose uncle still critically ill in hospital, wants people to be aware how dangerous the virus is.

Delwyn Anderson, who owns Diamonds on Seddon, said her Aunty Karla Lake and her husband, Graeme, were passengers on the Ruby Princess, which toured parts of New Zealand earlier this month.

Its last stop in the country was Napier on March 15, when the trip was halted and the ship ordered back to Australia by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern. The ship arrived back in Sydney where it disembarked 2647 passengers.

Hawke's Bay now has two cases linked to the Ruby Princess.

Anderson has shared her family's story to highlight how infectious Covid-19 is and the heartbreak it brings. Although her aunty had underlying health conditions it just proved how deadly it is and quickly it could strike someone down.

Anderson and her mother, Noreen Armstrong - Graeme's sister - now hope that by hearing their story, people will take the coronavirus more seriously.

She has nothing but praise for Ardern and said if the ship wasn't ordered out of the country, the number of cases born from its visit to New Zealand could be well higher.

She told the Herald how the pair were on the boat, celebrating her aunty's 75th birthday.

Her parents were due to pick them up from Tauranga, where they spent the night in their camper, before the ship was sent home.

"On their return they phoned my disappointed mum and told her they're all good, there was no Covid-19 on the ship.

😅UPDATE Thank you all so much for your lovely messages of support 🥰 I just wanted to give you a quick update on the...

Posted by Diamonds on seddon 44 Seddon Street Waihi on Sunday, 29 March 2020

"That very same afternoon they both became very ill. Aunty Karla was admitted to hospital and Uncle Graeme could not visit."

Her aunty's condition worsened and family were told she was not expected to recover.

Her husband couldn't visit but then his condition also worsened and he was also admitted to hospital, and after a couple of days, they shared the same room.

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"Graeme had also tested positive to covid-19 but was extremely worried about his beautiful wife.

"We received a message last night to say hospital staff were preparing Karla for her 'end of life'.

"Still in the same room, our Auntie Karla passed away through the night. Covid-19 has taken one of our family.

"Uncle Graeme remains in a critical condition with an extremely broken heart."

Anderson said it was about a week between her aunty being diagnosed and dying from Covid-19.

Now, Anderson said her mother feared for Graeme's health as he had appeared to have given up all hope now that his wife was gone.

He had stopped eating and refused to talk to anyone.

"He's a tough man. He's fought in the Vietnam war, but he's also a bit of a teddy bear."

There was no one to support her uncle. He had also been offered counselling but he had turned that down, she said.

"Apparently he did say that if Karla didn't make it, he didn't want to make it."

It appeared that neither her uncle or her mother would be able to attend their aunty's funeral.

"I guess it's a time when you need your family, but you can't be with your family, can you."

She said her aunty's son was not allowed to visit as he had picked them up from the airport.

"Imagine that. I haven't shared this with you for sympathy, I've shared to shine the light on the few that still don't think Covid-19 won't affect them (or their families).

"Just think. If our Government hadn't put a stop on all cruise ships docking when it did, Covid-19 would be in Waihi now. They would have come into our shop, hugged and kissed us.

"Any one of you could have been in our shop at that time. No one would have known they had the virus, not even them. They would have given to us and in turn we would have given it to you. Unknowingly obviously.

"So please learn from this. We don't know who's been infected, so treat everyone like you're infected.

"Please stay home.

"And please stay safe."

Graeme Lake was born in New Zealand and stayed until his early 20s before moving to Australia where he has lived ever since.

• Covid19.govt.nz: The Government's official Covid-19 advisory website