Sharjah: 6 siblings orphaned as both parents die from COVID-19
Children aged from kindergarten to grade 10 lose mum and dad to coronavirus 23 days apart
Sharjah: A Sudanese family living in Sharjah has been ripped apart after both parents died from coronavirus during Ramadan, leaving six siblings orphaned.
The father, 57-year-old Ali Ahmed Al Tayeb, died this week, just 23 days after his wife and the mother of the children.
The family lived in the in Al Tauwan area of the emirate. All six children have now moved to live with their father’s nephew, Mohammad Hashim, in Ajman.
The children are: Wa’ad Ali Ahmed, grade 10, Batoul Ali Ahmed, grade 9, Kamal Al Din Ali Ahmed, grade 8, Zainab Ali Ahmed, grade 6, Nour Al-Bayan Ali Ahmed, grade 1, and Mohammad Ali Ahmed, who attends kindergarten.
New guardian Hashim, who is newly married, said the children's father suffered from diabetes. He became infected with COVID-19 just days after his wife died.
Hashim said he hoped the children could overcome the great pain of losing both parents in such a short space of time.
Hashim said he wanted the children to be able to continue their studies and grow up as their parents intended.
They did not go to school last year due to late fees, Hashim said.