Nursery worker, 21, who was waiting for life-saving liver operation dies after being taken off transplant list when she tested positive for coronavirus in hospital
- Katie Horne was admitted with a severe liver condition around four weeks ago
- The 21-year-old was then sent to King’s College Hospital for a transplant
- She then tested positive for Covid-19 and was taken off the transplant list
- Learn more about how to help people impacted by COVID
A nursery worker who was waiting for a life-saving liver operation has died after being taken off the transplant list when she tested positive for coronavirus in hospital.
Katie Horne, from Burgess Hill, was admitted around four weeks ago with a severe liver condition.
The 21-year-old from West Sussex went to Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath where it became apparent she needed a transplant.
Katie Horne (pictured) from Burgess Hill was taken off the transplant list when she tested positive for coronavirus
She was then transferred to King’s College Hospital in London, where she tested positive for coronavirus, her sister Emma told the BBC.
Ms Horne then wasn’t able to go on the transplant list and struggled with both the liver condition and coronavirus for 12 days. She was not using a ventilator during her stay.
Her family say they are ‘completely devastated’ by her death after he life ended on Saturday.
It came before the UK’s coronavirus death toll surged past 10,000 on Sunday to 10,612, after the department of health reported 737 deaths in 24 hours.
Emma wants her ‘bubbly’ sister’s tragic death to be a ‘wake-up call’ for people to take the pandemic seriously.
She said: ‘People need to understand how serious this is.’
Speaking about her sister, she said: ‘If anyone needed anything, you could always count on Kate to be there. She was so full of life and happy. We just can’t believe it — we are absolutely devastated.’
Her heartbroken boyfriend, Jamie Carter, shared his sorrow on Facebook, writing: ‘It’s with great sadness that we have to inform all of Kate’s friends that she sadly passed away this morning at 5.45am of a short illness and contributing to her death is this devastating coronavirus. She will always be loved and will forever be in our hearts.’
Tilly Carter, a friend of Katie’s, also wrote on Facebook: ‘Heaven gained another angel. She will always be loved and will forever be in our hearts.’