‘Wonderful family man’ struck down by COVID-19

Garry Kirstenfeldt, the Queensland man who is the ninth Australian to die from coronavirus, has been described as a “beautiful man” with “a huge heart”.

QUEENSLAND has recorded its second death from coronavirus.

Garry Kirstenfeldt, 68, of Toowoomba, died in hospital yesterday after contracting the virus on a Voyager of the Seas cruise ship.

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Queenslander Garry Kirstenfeldt has become the ninth Australian to die from COVID-19.

In an online tribute, loved ones referred to Mr Kirstenfeldt as a “beautiful man”.

While another woman, Jan Squire said Mr Kirstenfeldt was “a wonderful family man” with a “huge heart”.

“He adored his family,” she wrote on Facebook.

Mr Kirstenfeldt is understood to have had a severe respiratory condition, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, putting him at increased risk after contracting the virus.

Queensland Health said members of his immediate family were in isolation as close contacts.

“The 68-year-old man had a serious underlying medical condition before contracting the virus,” a spokesman said.

“Queensland Health offers its sincere condolences to his family.”

Health Minister Steven Miles offered his condolences.

“I want to extend my condolences to the family in Toowoomba who tonight are grieving their loved one,” he said.

“This is Queensland’s second death from the coronavirus.

“This will never get any easier; together we must do absolutely everything we can to stop the outbreak.

Health Minister Steven Miles. Picture: Tim Marsden

“I know our health staff will never ever give up to save every life they can from this awful virus.

“Please, please keep your distance from others right now, stay home as much as possible and wash your hands.

“Queenslanders’ lives are at stake.”

The man is the state’s second fatality after a 77-year-old Noosaville woman died after flying into Sydney last week from the Sunshine Coast.

It was not known she had the highly contagious disease at the time of her death.

The latest case takes the number of Australians who have died after developing COVID-19 to nine.

Another elderly Queensland patient remains on life support in intensive care after developing the virus.

Numbers of people in Queensland who have been infected with the pandemic strain of coronavirus grew to 443 today with 46 new cases recorded.

Cases have doubled in just four days.

On Saturday, Queensland had 221 cases.