London, May 14 (RHC)-- In Britain, a railway ticket office worker has died of COVID-19 after reportedly contracting the virus after a man claiming he had the illness spat at her in March.  

Belly Mujinga was working at the Victoria station in London when she and a female colleague were assaulted by the man, who has yet to be identified.  Within days, both women fell ill.  An investigation has reportedly launched to trace the man’s whereabouts.

The case of Belly Mujinga, a railway worker who died after an angry passenger claiming to have coronavirus 
spat at her, has seen an outpouring of grief and shock in the United Kingdom.  So far, a fundraising campaign for the family had raised 18,190 pounds ($22,400), while a petition calling for the individual who assaulted Mujinga to be found had about 2,000 signatures.

Transport union TSSA said Mujinga, a mother of one, contracted the coronavirus along with a colleague within days of the attack on the pair at London's Victoria station on March 22nd.  "They were out on the concourse by the ticket office when they were assaulted by a member of the public who spat at them," the union said in a statement.  "The man coughed over them and told them he had the virus."

After the assault, Mujinga demanded protective equipment to be safeguarded from the public, but this was not provided.  Several days later, Mujinga's doctor requested she be given sick leave, noting she suffered from underlying respiratory problems, the TSSA said.

She was then stood down from work, but grew sicker and on April 2nd was taken to a hospital and put on a ventilator, it added.  Mujinga died three days later, leaving behind an 11-year-old daughter and husband.

The union said it had reported the case to rail industry safety watchdogs for investigation and was also taking legal advice "on the situation and supporting her family and colleagues."