Professor In Argentina Who Tested Positive For Coronavirus Dies During Zoom Lecture

Paola de Simone, who taught at the Universidad Argentina de la Empresa (UADE) in the capital Buenos Aires, was struggling to breathe during the virtual class before she collapsed on Wednesday.

A recording shared online - which has since been removed at the request of Paola's family - showed students asking for her address so they could call an ambulance, but all she could say was 'I can't' before she passed out.

The 46-year-old, who taught in the university's Department Of Government And International Relations, said on Twitter on 28 August that she had tested positive for the disease four weeks previously, but had been unable to shake off the symptoms.

She said: "It is very complicated. I've been here for more than 4 weeks and the symptoms don't go away."

The university said in a statement that it was 'deeply saddened' by her death.

It said: "Paola was a passionate and dedicated teacher and a great person."

Facundo Cruz, academic coordinator of the UADE, published a heartfelt letter on his Twitter account, which he titled 'A friend, political scientist'.

It read: "Paola De Simone passed away. My teacher for several years, colleague and coworker today, but above all a friend.

"Paola was a political scientist, teacher, colleague, professional, all first-rate. You could talk about any political issue that occurred to you, from the most unknown municipality to the most dangerous international conflict. She could with everything. But first of all, she was a person.

"She could always handle everything. Always with a smile. Always with a trick. Always with more. This time she couldn't. We are going to miss you, Pao. Much. Goodbye, political scientist friend."

Paola graduated in Political Science and International Relations from the Universidad del Salvador and completed an MBA at the Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.

She specialised in Human Resources and taught at the Universidad de Buenos Aires, Universidad Argentina de la Empresa and Universidad Torcuato Di Tella.

She leaves behind a husband and a daughter.