Coronavirus: Southend nurse with Covid-19 out of intensive care after 45 days

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Media captionCheers as Southend Hospital nurse leaves intensive care

A nurse has come off a ventilator and has been moved out of intensive care after spending more than 45 days there with coronavirus.

Felix Khor is being treated at Southend University Hospital in Essex where he has worked for 15 years.

The hospital said all staff had enough protection but a friend told BBC’s Panorama Mr Khor did not feel safe.

Mr Khor gave a “thumbs up” as he was moved out of intensive care and thanked those who helped to save his life.

He said: “I’m incredibly grateful to all of the hospital staff who have helped keep me fighting, and for the huge love and support from colleagues and friends.

“I have seen incredible care that they give to patients. There is still a long road ahead but it has meant so much.”

The hospital said colleagues lined the main corridor and there were applause, cheers and a few tears as Mr Khor was moved to a ward.

Denise Townsend, director of nursing at the hospital, said it was “wonderful” to celebrate Mr Khor’s “slow road to recovery”.

“His recovery is a real message of hope and optimism, not just for staff working with Covid-19 patients, but for all of us,” she said.

Image caption Mr Khor was treated at Southend Hospital where he has worked for 15 years

Mr Khor, of Shoeburyness, has worked as an NHS nurse for 30 years and joined Southend Hospital in 2005 as part of the resuscitation training team.

Although retired, he continued to work as part of the staff bank in the emergency department.

He contracted Covid-19 in March.

Mr Khor’s friend Linda Leake had told Panorama she feared he was going to die, describing him as an “exceptional man”.

She said he was “angry” that he had been issued with “two paper masks for a 12-hour shift”.

Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust said there had “never been a lack of PPE at Southend Hospital”.

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