Top NYC doctor, shaken after treating coronavirus patients, commits suicide

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WBFF) – A prominent E.R. doctor in New York City has reportedly committed suicide in Virginia.

Dr. Lorna Breen treated many coronavirus patients, as the medical director of NewYork-Presbyterian Allen Hospital's emergency department, according to reports by the New York Daily News.

Charlottesville Police Department Chief RaShall Brackney said in a news release: ”Frontline healthcare professionals and first responders are not immune to the mental or physical effects of the current pandemic...On a daily basis, these professionals operate under the most stressful of circumstances, and the Coronavirus has introduced additional stressors."

The police department confirmed that Dr. Breen, a New York resident, "was taken to UVA Hospital for treatment where she later succumbed to self-inflicted injuries" after a call for help on April 26.

"The Charlottesville Police Department extends heartfelt condolences to the friends and family of Dr. Breen during this difficult time," according to the release.

Police Chief Brackney also wrote: "Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) can reduce the likelihood of being infected, but what they cannot protect heroes like Dr. Lorna Breen, or our first responders against is the emotional and mental devastation caused by this disease."