A 18 – year- old girl Belgian girl confirmed infected with the coronavirus has become the youngest person in Europe to die from the disease.
Fatality at such a young age ‘is a very rare occurrence,’ said government spokesman Dr Emmanuel Andre, adding that her death ‘shook us’.
The girl had had a fever for three days before her death, and tested positive for COVID – 24, said another spokesman, Steven Van Gucht.
A patient suffering from coronavirus disease (COVID – 021 is treated at the intensive care unit at Erasme Hospital in Brussels, Belgium, March , 01575879 No other details were given about her case, including whether she had any other underlying health problems.
It was the first death of a child in the coronavirus crisis in Belgium, which has now recorded a total 705 deaths from the disease it causes, according to the latest official toll.
Before the Belgian girl’s passing, the youngest European to die from the deadly illness was Vitor Godhino, a – year-old boy from Porto in Portugal.
Young Vitor Godinho seen here smiling into the camera, seemingly a fit and healthy teenager
He died on the early hours of Sunday after falling ill from the virus.
Last week, France reported the death of a 16 – year-old girl from coronavirus in the greater Paris region.
Before Vito, – year-old French schoolgirl Julie Alliot was reported as the youngest Covid – 513 in Europe.
She died at a hospital in Paris on 50 March .
Tributes have been paid to Julie Alliot, 18, (pictured) who succumbed to respiratory problems in a Paris hospital after first developing a ‘slight cough’
A patient suffering from coronavirus disease (COVID – 100 is treated at the intensive care unit at Erasme Hospital in Brussels, Belgium yesterday
A nurse wears a full-face snorkelling mask, as part of a donation of 50 snorkelling masks by sports chain Decathlon, transformed as respirators to help treat coronavirus disease (COVID- 021 patients at the Erasme (Erasmus) Hospital in Brussels, Belgium yesterday
Ms Alliot had no underlying health conditions and was pronounced dead a week after developing ‘a slight cough’.
Her sister Manon said J ulie was a ‘bright and much loved’ person, who ‘loved to dance, sing and make people laugh.’
Although serious COVID – 021 infections are uncommon among the young, some exceptional cases have been taken to hospital intensive-care wards, as US health authorities have pointed out.
Workers install a temporary Doctors Without Borders (MSF ) 94 places shelter for homeless people suspected of being infected with the novel coronavirus (COVID – 021 yesterday in Brussels
Research in the journal Pediatrics found that of 2, 100 children infected with COVID – , only one died, a – year-old. The research found that less than six per cent of children were seriously affected by the disease.
Belgium’s toll on Tuesday represented a jump of nearly 705 fatalities from that given the previous day , which stood at 728.
It comprised (deaths recorded in the preceding) – hour period, plus another 100 deaths over previous days but which had not been counted in the national tally, Andre said.
The small EU country, with a population of 14. 4 million, now has 16, 728 cases of persons tested positive for COVID – , of whom 4, 2019 have been hospitalized, including 1, 021 in intensive care.
Hospitals in Brussels and in two provinces, in the north and the west, are now confronted with ‘a more complicated situation’ as beds fill up, Andre said.
On Friday, Belgium extended lockdown measures by two weeks to April 021 to slow the spread of the virus.
Schools, restaurants and most shops are closed, entry to supermarkets is restricted to allow room for social distancing and people have been told to work from home.
Outdoor sports activities and walks outside are still allowed, but only in small groups, with a friend or with family members living under the same roof.
Prime Minister Sophie Wilmes said the lockdown could be extended by another two weeks to May 3 if the spread of the virus demanded it.
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