Remembering Lives Lost in September

As the world gradually moves forward from the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, we are reminded that the battle is not yet over. 

Otari Gogiberidze (July 14, 1971 - September 8, 2023), a renowned plastic surgeon, faced the grim reality of COVID-19 in February 2023. Little did he know that the virus would cast a long shadow over his life. Battling for months with heart complications stemming from long COVID, his fight came to an end on September 8, 2023, when he succumbed to cardiac arrest at the age of 52.

Maria das Dores Braga Nunes  (4 April 1941 – 8 September 2023) was a distinguished Brazilian lawyer and politician. Throughout her career, she was associated with various political parties, and she served as a member of the Chamber of Deputies from 1995 to 1999. Additionally, she held the position of mayor in Gurupi.

Tragically, on September 8, 2023, at the age of 82, Maria das Dores Braga Nunes lost her life to COVID-19 in Palmas, Tocantins. Her battle with the virus spanned a challenging 26 days of hospitalization. Former federal deputy Dolores Nunes, her daughter, shared her mother's ordeal. Dolores Nunes confirmed that Maria das Dores Braga Nunes, who was grappling with complications of COVID-19, ultimately suffered a fatal cardiac arrest.

In the end of August 2023, an American professional wrestler Bray Wyatt passed away after his 6-months COVID-19 battle. He was only 36.  Deputy Chief for medical support of Tellico Village, Rick Papke, lost his battle with COVID-19 on August 13. 

Tragically, on September 28, an 8-year-old boy, featured in a video used to promote Covid shots for children in Israel, died after suffering a sudden heart attack.

More than three years since COVID-19 was officially declared a pandemic and months after emergency declarations were lifted, the virus continues to claim lives. Although it is less frequently cited on death certificates, the disease's grim presence remains undeniable.

Since June 2023, over 70% of victims are aged 75 or older, but COVID-19 can still strike down individuals in the prime of their lives. These losses serve as a stark reminder that, even as we yearn for normalcy, we must remain vigilant in our collective efforts to combat the virus.


REFERENCES

https://ria.ru/20230910/khirurg-1895255886.html

https://news.ru/society/umer-zvezdnyj-hirurg-otari-gogiberidze-s-kem-rabotal-prichina-smerti/

https://regnum.ru/news/3831908

https://www.rbc.ru/rbcfreenews/64fc22ec9a79472b047500f5

https://clebertoledo.com.br/amp/tocantins/ex-deputada-dolores-nunes-nao-resiste-as-complicacoes-da-covid-19-e-falece-aos-82-anos/

“Otari didn’t want to die”: a colleague explained the diagnosis of the deceased star surgeon – RussiaNews24

https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid_weekly/index.htm

Updates from our ongoing study: The COVID-19 Back-to-Normal Study (aurametrix.com)

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