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Clacton-on-Sea GP becomes ninth to die with Covid-19

A ‘much-loved’ GP from Clacton-on-Sea, Essex, is understood to have become the ninth to die with Covid-19.

Dr Karamat Ullah Mirza, 84, was a senior partner at Old Road Medical Practice in the seaside town, having qualified as a GP in 1974.

He died at Colchester Hospital on Sunday (10 May).

Dr Mirza also spent 20 years as a clinical assistant in anaesthesia at Colchester General Hospital, and in obstetrics at Clacton Hospital respectively.

In addition, he was skilled within orthopaedics, general medicine, psychiatry and tropical medicine, and held a special interest in ophthalmology.

The chief executive for NHS Ipswich and East Suffolk, NHS West Suffolk and NHS North East Essex CCGs told Pulse colleagues were mourning their respected colleague.

Dr Ed Garratt said: ‘We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dr Mirza, a respected and much-loved GP who had served the patients in his local community for more than four decades.

‘Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and practice colleagues, and all our efforts will be focused on supporting them at this difficult time.’

Nine GPs have now died with Covid-19, all of which were male and over 50 years of age. Eight of the GPs have been of BAME origin, and five were based in Essex.

The news comes as GP practices have been asked to risk assess their BAME staff, whilst awaiting the results of a PHE rapid review into the affect of ethnicity and other factors on Covid-19 morbidity.

NHS England and the BMA have advised that practices can consider remote working or ‘buddying’ arrangements in order to get BAME GPs away from the frontline during the pandemic.