A coroner has called for Boris Johnson to begin a coronavirus inquiry as soon as is practical after concluding it is unclear when and where a 28-year-old nurse who died with COVID-19 contracted it.

Sister Mary Agyapong died at Luton and Dunstable Hospital, where she worked, on 12 April last year, a few days after giving birth to her second child.

Coroner Emma Whitting said Ms Agyapong died of multiple organ failure and COVID-19, adding: “It remains unclear where and when her exposure to the virus had occurred.”

Ms Agyapong had been concerned about contracting coronavirus on the wards while heavily pregnant, her widower, Ernest Boateng, told Bedfordshire and Luton Coroner’s Court.

Ms Agyapong, who lived in Luton and was originally from Ghana, was admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties on 5 April.

Mr Boateng said his wife was “breathless, exhausted and weak”. She was discharged later that day – something she was apparently unhappy with.

Mr Boateng said he “could not believe that she had been discharged from the hospital in her state, as she was so poorly”.

Ms Agyapong’s condition worsened and she was readmitted two days later, almost 36 weeks pregnant.

Her daughter was delivered by Caesarean section and transferred to the neonatal unit because she was premature.

Ms Agyapong was reportedly not allowed to hold her baby, also called Mary, after testing positive for COVID-19 earlier that evening.

The following day, 8 April, her condition worsened and she was taken to intensive care.

She died four days later. Mr Boateng did not have enough time to get to the hospital to say goodbye to his wife.

Mr Boateng told the court his wife was “very concerned about the situation involving COVID-19” and would shower as soon as she got home from work, sleeping in the spare room to protect her husband and young son.

Mr Boateng said he strongly believed his wife contracted coronavirus while at work, and also questioned why she was discharged from hospital on 5 April with a course of antibiotics, despite having COVID symptoms.

Dr William Manning, who discharged Ms Agyapong after her initial hospital admission, told the inquest he “suspected she had COVID-19” but sent her home because she did not require oxygen.

“She didn’t seem particularly happy to go home,” Dr Manning added.

Other medical staff said they were satisfied with the care given to Ms Agyapong, adding that her condition deteriorated rapidly.

Dr Deborah Shaw, an intensive care consultant who saw Ms Agyapong the day after she gave birth, said: “I was very happy with the level of care she was getting.”

Dr Muhammad Peerbhoy, a consultant physician who saw the patient the same day, added: “In my opinion, I think the treatment was proportionate.”

Coroner Emma Whitting said she had not been alerted to any systemic failures at the hospital.

A crowdfunding campaign for Ms Agyapong’s two children, set up following her death, has raised almost £200,000 to date.

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