In Argentina, a college professor at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE) in Buenos Aires developed severe COVID-19 symptoms in the middle of her Zoom lecture and died the next day, unnerving her colleagues and students.
In a statement on Twitter, the university confirmed the demise of the 46-year-old Prof Paola de Simone, the next day. The UADE profesor was conducting a Zoom lecture on Tuesday, Sept. 1 and mid-way seen struggling for air. When her students asked for her address to call an ambulance, she said "I can't."
The wife and mother of a daughter, Simone wrote on Twitter on August 28 that she had been experiencing COVID-19 symptoms for at least four weeks, and "the symptoms do not go away." The Argentine prof also wrote that her husband, who works in medical therapy and emergencies, was exhausted from work.
COVID-19 Victim: Professor Paola de Simone
As of Saturday, September 5 Argentina has reported the 461,882 infection cases and over 9,600 deaths due to the Coronavirus pandemic.
In the case of Prof Simone, she had developed one of the most common COVID-19 symptoms—coughing—but she continued to teach the university students over video sessions despite her symptoms, said Facundo Cruz, an academic coordinator at UADE. Cruz also wrote on Twitter that "Farewell to a friend. We will miss you."
UADE expressed condolences to Prof Simone's family in a statement on Thursday. As the video of her collapse circulated on social media, the university also asked the academic community to respect her memory and then the video of the incident has been removed from social media.
As per a local news outlet, Prof Simone had been with the UADE for 15 years. She graduated in Political Science and International Relations from Universidad del Salvador (USAL), majored in Human Resources, and was a lecturer at UBA, and Di Tella University.
After her sudden demise, Simone's friends, colleagues and students shared memories of her on social media describing her as a compassionate person who encouraged them constantly.
