Dr. Jean-Jacques Razafindranazy, 67, a retired Emergency Ward physician at Compiègne hospital in France, was the first doctor to die from Covid-19 on March 21, 2020.
At the end of February, the 67 year-old retired doctor Razafindranazy, came back to the emergency ward of Compiègne hospital, 84 kilometres north of Paris, to give his colleagues a hand.
L’Oise department was the epicentre of the coronvirus outbreak in France. The first patient, a 60 year-old teacher, was first hospitalised there.
The man, who suffered from respiratory problems, and tested positive for the coronavirus, later died after being transferrred to a hospital in Paris.
According to France Info, Dr Razafindranazy was hospitalised himself on 4 March in Lille, where he tested positive for Covid-19.
His health deteriorated quickly 10 days later. He died on Saturday 21 March, without being able to say good bye to his family.
Doctors told his daughter that medication was having no effect at all and that it was “an extremely serious case, out of the ordinary.”
According to a France Info journalist at the scene, one hundred or so staff members at Compiègne hospital turned out to pay their respects, in front of the hospital on Monday.
One doctor expressed his wish that this kind of sacrifice would make people understand how important it is to respect the confinement measures in place.
“I send my warmest thoughts to your wife and children,” he said addressing the group, “my support also goes out to the teams of hospital workers, in particular, those in emergency wards.”
“You will always be in our hearts and minds. Rest in peace.”