Sri Lankan COVID-19 victim in Australia identified as loving frontline healthcare worker

A 55-year-old who died of coronavirus is being remembered as a loving family man and dedicated frontline healthcare worker.

Sumith Premachandra died at Dandenong Hospital on Sunday, becoming the youngest Victorian casualty of the virus sweeping the world. A devoted father and grandfather who contracted coronavirus has died without his loved ones by his side.

He suffered from diabetes but was otherwise healthy when he was diagnosed with COVID-19.

Isolated in hospital, Mr Premachandra’s family were unable to be next to him as he took his final breaths.

The disability nurse, who suffered from chronic illness, is being mourned by his wife and ex-wife, two daughters and two grandsons.

"Dad was so charismatic," his daughter Sharyn said.

"Our lives will never be the same."

Mr Premachandra's family said he was a dedicated healthcare worker who loved his career.

The death of Mr Premachandra, along with that of a woman in her 80s on Sunday, took the state's death toll to 10.

Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton said the death was a "salient and tragic lesson" for those who have chronic illness to ensure they take necessary precautions to protect themselves from the disease.

Australians are still grappling with the painful reality that they cannot farewell their fathers, husbands, mothers, wives or any of the 40 people who have died here due to coronavirus.