Aliya died of suspected viral infection
INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF 17-YEAR-OLD STUDENT’S SUDDEN DEATH
Investigation under way to determine cause of 17-year-old student’s sudden death |
Aliya Niyaz Ali did not die due to a flu infection, but a suspected viral infection, doctors told her father. “I was told by the hospital that my daughter died of some viral infection,” Ali told Gulf News yesterday. However, he was also told that the cause of death is under investigation.
The 17-year-old grade 12 Indian student’s death due to suspected flu complications sent shock waves through the community on Tuesday.
The Rashid Hospital team that treated Aliya issued a statement yesterday, but it did not verify the nature of the virus.
The statement read: “A young female patient who had been treated earlier in a private health care facility arrived to the Emergency Department in Rashid Hospital on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, in an advanced shock state. Emergency management care including appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic measures were instituted immediately. However, her condition deteriorated rapidly during her stay in the Emergency department and unfortunately she succumbed to death within a few hours of her arrival to the hospital. Rashid Hospital extends their deepest condolences to her family, school and the community.”
Support
Ali said that “a representative from the health authority called us on Wednesday evening wanting to know if ‘we are all feeling well’. I told her that my younger son Ayan had a similar fever two weeks ago, but has recovered completely.
“We took him for a viral swab, which was negative. The health authority representative told us they were investigating my daughter’s death and samples had been sent for further tests and that it would take some time to ascertain the cause of her death.”
The father stressed that they had the highest regard for health care in Dubai, but wished to register their feedback without sounding critical.
Talking about Aliya’s treatment, Ali said: “Doctors at the hospital did not actually begin the treatment and were only investigating her condition through tests. A senior doctor informed me that ‘this is the rarest of rare cases and we have no idea why fluid has collected around Alia’s heart and abdomen areas. There could be several reasons for it such as a virulent strain of virus that we have yet to test, food poisoning or ingesting of some toxic substance.
Word of caution
“My daughter breathed her last within a few hours of walking into the emergency centre. I just want to alert other parents so that her death is not in vain.”
Another health specialist said an autopsy could have easily determined the true strain of infection and cause of death.
Dr Gurukant Neeleshwar Rao, specialist internal medicine at Aster Clinic Bur Dubai said: “While only a couple of influenza viruses have been isolated, there are different strains that are yet to be discovered. There are deadlier strains that cause Swine Flu, Bird Flu, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome [MERS] and it is likely another new strain may be waiting to be isolated.”
He added that parents need not panic if their child has fever. “The clinic they visit can do a viral swab test to ascertain if there is any viral infection. If positive the doctor can start them on anti-virals.”