A woman in her 30s who died in Sydney after contracting Covid-19 has been remembered as a hard-working and passionate student, an “amazing friend” and someone with a “future ahead full of plans and dreams”.
Adriana Midori Takara, 38, has been identified among the latest deaths from from Covid-19 over the weekend.
Friends said the Brazilian citizen, who was studying accounting in Sydney, deteriorated quickly after contracting the virus. Takara died at Royal Prince Alfred hospital on Saturday, despite having no underlying conditions.
Her death is one of eight now linked to the New South Wales outbreak.
Marlene Coimbra, an executive director at Superstudent Headquarters, helped Takara obtain her student visa. Ten days ago, she heard Takara had contracted Covid-19.
Coimbra told the ABC she had become seriously ill very rapidly.
“It was just so quickly, so quickly, how her body disintegrated. It was just terrible,” she said.
Another friend, Fernanda Ferreira Batista, wrote on Facebook that Takara was more than a number.
“Since Covid-19 started all we hear is about numbers. Numbers of cases, numbers of infections, numbers of vaccines, numbers of deaths,” Batista said in a post.
“Well, Adriana is not a number. An amazing friend, not only my friend but friend of so many people.”
The NSW government is using the case as a reminder of the dangers faced by younger Australians, even where they have no underlying conditions.
Speaking on Sunday about the latest deaths, Gladys Berejiklian described Covid-19 as a “cruel disease”.
“If anybody thinks this is a disease just affecting older people, please think again,” she said.
“Again, I want to extend my heartfelt condolences to those families, their loved ones who are grieving today, but please note that younger people without pre-existing conditions can also fall victim to this cruel disease.”
Coimbra told the ABC Takara was a hard-working student, who had a boyfriend she studied with and planned to marry.
“A normal girl, a normal girl, hard-working girl, let me tell you,” she said.
“She worked very hard, she studied very hard, she was very dedicated to whatever she was doing.”
She told the Daily Telegraph the death had hit her tight-knit group of expats and students hard.
“She was very young, someone who had a future ahead full of plans and dreams,” Coimbra said. “It’s so sad.”
