A ‘POPULAR Worcester lad’ and security guard at the city's hospital is fighting for his life after catching Covid and being placed in a coma – and his partner says "we thought we were going to lose him".

Mark Newman, 54, is thought to have caught the virus whilst at work at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

The father-of-two and partner to Donna Box, 52, tested positive for Covid on January 7 this year and just four days was rushed to hospital where he has been ever since.

Miss Box told the Worcester News she was positive she was going to lose him at one point.

“Mark was rushed into hospital just four days after testing positive for the virus," she said. "He caught it at work. He has been a security officer at Worcestershire Royal Hospital for 17 years now.

“When he arrived he was put on a ward and they tested him for Covid once more – he was positive, of course. He had blood clots on his lungs and had caught pneumonia.

"He was really unwell and went to the respiratory unit two days after being admitted.

“They phoned me then and said I need to come and see him – we thought we were going to lose him. He was then moved to intensive care and that is when they put him in the coma. They needed to put him on a ventilator and putting him to sleep was the only option.

“He was in a coma for three weeks and has been in hospital for five.

"It has been really hard. I have had to try and hold it together for him, but it hasn’t been easy at all.

"I had Covid as well and have only just recovered and gone back to work myself. Before Christmas we buried his dad. It has been a really tough time for us all.”

Mr Newman has now been awoken from his induced coma after having a tracheotomy fitted, which allows him to breathe on the ventilator.

But Miss Box says this is just the beginning of a very long recovery for him.

She said: “This is the longest we have ever been apart in nine years. I am not allowed to see him because of the restrictions – I call the hospital twice a day to check up on him.

"I am desperately trying to stay positive now, it’s easier than it was before. I can now see the light at the end of the tunnel, but there is a long way to go yet.

“The virus has made him lose so much weight and muscle mass, it has also affected his vocal chords so he finds it hard to speak, in fact he can’t speak at the moment.

"The doctors tell me he will have to relearn everything, sitting, speaking, standing, walking, eating.

"We don’t know the extent of the damage yet, I don’t know what he can and can’t do. It is just about finding out how this has affected him now.

“I just want him home, he’s got a lot to catch up on, he’s missed our anniversary and Valentine’s!”

Mr Newman’s sister-in-law, Vicki Lancaster, has set up a GoFundMe page to support his rehabilitation journey and help shoulder some of the cost of any home adaptations or specialised treatment the couple may need.

To donate, visit https://bit.ly/2OIS618