The Congolese community in London are mourning the death of one of their own after Belly Mujinga, an employee at London's Victoria railway station, died from the corronavirus.
The manner in which the 47 year old mother came to contact the virus has been the main cause of anger surrounding her death. Mujinga was spat at by an unknown passenger while on duty at the station's ticket sale desk. According to colleagues, the man had told Mujinga that he was infected with coronavirus before spitting and coughing on her face.
Few days after the incident Mujinga fell ill and was later admitted to hospital where she tested positive for the virus. Her condition continued to worsen and she was put on a ventilator, before succumbing to death on 5 April 2020.
The British police have since launch an investigation and search warrant for the passenger.
Mujinga's employer , Govia Thameslink Railway, have come under strong critisism after it emerged that they were aware of the employee's previous medical record. Apparently Mujinga was suffering from respiratory problems, a high risk factor for people who contact the virus; yet she was made to work in a position that forced her to interact with members of the public, thus making her even more vulnerable.
Colleagues also told news agencies that Mujinga had pleaded with the employee to provide her with PPEs due to her condition and exposure, however her request was never granted.
When confronted about this , the employer defended the protocols it had in place , arguing that at the time of the incident the official government rules was that PPEs for workers was not required. But they have promised to conduct an investigation.
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