1 year after the first known US coronavirus death, over 450,000 families will never see a loved one again When Patricia Dowd passed away last February, no one knew it was from Covid-19. She was 57 and very active, her brother said. Dowd had come down with flu-like symptoms but didn’t qualify for a Covid-19 test because they were scarce and restricted at the time. In the one year since, more than 450,000 other families have suffered the shock and devastation of losing a loved one to coronavirus. Here are some of their stories: An ER doctor saved lives and the mental health of colleagues