Husband hits at 999 crew claiming swine-flu wife could have survived

They told the 31-year-old's estranged husband Ricky they did not believe she had swine flu and did not prescribe the controversial drug Tamiflu.

However, Mrs Edwards, from Aberdeen, continued to suffer symptoms and two days later she died in a hospital's intensive care unit, after contracting the H1N1 virus,

Yesterday, a coroner at an inquest into her death recorded a narrative verdict.

Speaking after the short hearing her husband blasted ambulance staff and hinted that he may be taking further action.

"I agree with the verdict of the inquest," he said. "I do however feel that she should have been taken to hospital the first time they were called.

"With the way Tamiful works I do not know whether it would have helped. "I am considering taking it further. I cannot help thinking that if she was taken to hospital the first time she would still be alive."

Mrs Edwards had moved to Kincorth, Aberdeen, after becoming estranged from her husband. The Berkshire coroner heard that it was during a visit to Reading, to coincide with her son Alex's seventh birthday, that she started to feel unwell.

She was described as having flu-like symptoms, a high temperature and feeling cold.

Mrs Edwards' family treated her with paracetamol and sent her to bed with a hot water bottle.

On 24 September Mr Edwards was so concerned about her that he called the Swine Flu hotline for advice.

He told the inquest that the call taker was "quite alarmed" and asked him to get his wife to do a simple exercise that she could not complete.

However, his wife - who worked as a cook - showed a brief spell of improvement and the following day had even regained her appetite.

However, by 28 September her condition had deteriorated and she panting and struggling to get her breath.

Mr Edwards called an ambulance for his wife and paramedics attended the address in Reading. "They said a fairly bad cold was doing the rounds at the time," Mr Edwards told the coroner.

"They said a lot of the ambulance crews were off sick having been affected and they told me to carry on as I was and to look for any changes."

Coroner Peter Bedford asked if he had quizzed the paramedics over whether they thought his wife had swine flu. He replied: "They did not believe it was."

Kirstin Willis, operations major for South Central Ambulance Service, said that the crew carried out observations and her condition was conclusive with flu.

Mrs Edwards chest was also noted as being clear and she was able to speak in full sentences.

The following day her husband was forced to dial 999 again as his wife's condition deteriorated further. Mr Edwards described the colour of his wife changing, how she was panting heavily and he voiced concerns over her blood pressure.

Mrs Edwards was rushed to Royal Berkshire Hospital with fatigue and breathing problems. She died 20 hours later on 30 September, from pneumonia brought on by the H1N1 virus.

Mr Bedford outlined what had happened as he recorded a narrative verdict.

"I must acknowledge that Mrs Edwards was a 31-year-old fit lady and did not fit the profile of the very young or the very infirm who were most at risk of this type of illness proving fatal.

"But when you have a combination of two very virulent and dangerous infections, H1N1 and streptococcal pneumonia, I think that is the explanation of what must be described as a very, very unfortunate set of circumstances."

Mrs Edwards son attended the hearing but left shortly after it started after becoming distressed at the evidence. Later his father said he "was doing fine."