A 58-year-old man is suspected to have died from coronavirus at home, an inquest has heard.

Paul Hemingway, 58, died at The Street, Alburgh, his home address, on April 2.

An inquest into his death was held at Norfolk Coroner’s Court on King Street in Norwich on Thursday, April 9.

The court heard Mr Hemingway, a marketing director, had symptoms of Covid-19 two weeks prior to his death and initially had a cough and a headache, which progressed to a high temperature of over 37.8c and difficulty breathing.

Mr Hemingway and his wife had been self-isolating before he fell ill, an inquest heard.

The court heard Mr Hemingway, who was born in Derby, had called 111 twice during his illness, who agreed he may have Covid-19, but did not go into hospital.

Mr Hemingway did not take a test for Covid-19, the court also heard.

Assistant coroner Johanna Thompson said Mr Hemingway was deemed a healthy person who had not suffered any recent trauma or accident.

The inquest heard the last time he had a face-to-face doctor’s appointment was in 2017.

An inquest heard Mr Hemingway’s symptoms appeared to improve on the Saturday before his death but worsened the following day.

Ms Thompson said he was found dead at home by his wife in the afternoon who had last heard him in the morning.

His GP said the overwhelming evidence suggested he had died from coronavirus but he or no other doctor treated him for that condition, the inquest heard.

The court heard his wife also had symptoms of coronavirus and was tested on two separate occasions but the results came back negative.

Her GP believed the test results may not have been accurate as they were taken when the virus was not showing, the inquest heard.

The medical cause of Mr Hemingway’s death was given as unascertained.

Ms Thompson said: “Mr Hemingway died after suffering from a deterioration in health. The precise cause of death is unascertained by medical professionals but it is suspected to be due to coronavirus.”

She gave a conclusion of death by natural causes.