Doctor who treated elderly dies after contracting coronavirus

A doctor who specialised in treating the elderly has died after testing positive for Covid-19.

Anton Sebastianpillai, who had a long association with Kingston Hospital in south-west London, died on Saturday, four days after being admitted to the intensive care unit, a spokeswoman said.

The consultant geriatrician, who qualified as a doctor in Sri Lanka in 1967, finished his last shift on March 20.

A spokeswoman for Kingston Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said: “It is with great sadness that I confirm the death of a consultant geriatrician who was part of the team at Kingston Hospital.

“Dr Anton Sebastianpillai died on Saturday having been cared for in the hospital’s intensive care unit since March 31.

“We would like to extend our sincere condolences to his family.”

Acting Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey tweeted it was “very sad news” and said he had been “privileged” to meet Dr Sebastianpillai, calling him a “hugely respected” consultant and author.

Dr Sebastianpillai trained at the Peradeniya Medical School in Sri Lanka and qualified in 1967, according to the institution.

In an obituary notice, he was referred to as a “distinguished alumnus” who had authored an illustrated history of Sri Lanka.

Elsewhere, a British Pakistani GP based in east London died in hospital on Monday after it is believed he developed coronavirus symptoms.

According to the News International, a newspaper in Pakistan, Dr Syed Haider had been receiving treatment at Queen’s Hospital in Romford where he died.

A staff member at the Valence Medical Centre in Dagenham, east London – where Dr Haider worked – confirmed he had died.

The News International said it had spoken to his son, named only as Dr Kumail, who described his father as “a selfless man driven by his passion for his profession”.

He added: “Even whilst in hospital breathing his last, he was urging doctors and nurses to pay attention to other patients rather than him.

“Many at his age would have retired yet his dedication to his profession was immeasurable.”