Community rocked by shock Covid deaths

Neighbours of a woman who died from Covid in her Northcote home have described the horror moment the tragedy was realised.

A 49 year old woman died from Covid in her Northcote. Picture: Wayne Taylor

Neighbours of a Melbourne woman who died from the coronavirus in her northern suburbs home say they are “gutted” about the suburban tragedy.

Authorities have confirmed the Covid victim, aged 49, died in her Northcote home on Tuesday.

Her death was the first recorded Covid fatality recorded in Victoria in 2021.

Northcote resident Sandy Young, who lives across the road from the family, said locals called triple-0 about 2am on Tuesday following frantic screams.

“There was screaming and crying in our street,” Ms Young posted online.

“Neighbours called emergency services, they would have had no idea what was going on.

“We will probably never really know why this tragedy occurred under our noses. I am gutted.

“Many neighbours witnessed this terrible event. We are a close street, sadly not close enough. Tragic.”

Victorian Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said sadly the family of the woman did not know she was Covid positive at the time of her death.

He said the state coroner had deemed she was positive to the virus.

The Herald Sun understands the family come from Melbourne’s close-knit Eritrean community.

Ms Young said the victim lived in the house with a young male child.

“The family have always been good neighbours,” she said.

It is understood the screams came from another woman, thought to be an older relative of the deceased woman.

Henderson Street residents kept to themselves on Wednesday, with the devastating death being a timely reminder of the importance of stay-at-home orders.

The local government area of Hume were also mourning after a second woman died from the virus on Tuesday.

Multicultural community worker Ahmed Hassan said he had been supporting the family of the victim, aged 69.

“Extremely heartbreaking,” he said.

“People in the community need to test and isolate immediately.”

Relatives of the much loved grandmother were on Wednesday planning a funeral to honour her life.