A 12-year-old girl has died after doctors dismissed her symptoms as a simple bout of flu and sent her home from hospital. Azzurra Breda had been taken to a paediatric A&E department with a fever and breathing problems, but was discharged after being diagnosed with flu.
After returning to her family home in Sant'Angelo di Piove di Sacco, near Padua, Italy, her condition worsened, with her temperature rising to 40C. The following day, her parents rushed her back to A&E, where she was immediately transferred to intensive care.
She died from pneumonia at 10am on 31 December, just two days after her first hospital visit. A post-mortem examination is due to take place on 12 January as an investigation is launched.
Azzurra was described by her parents, Valentina and Mattia, as athletic and energetic, with no pre-existing medical conditions. She had passed sports medical examinations in October with excellent results. She was a dancer, had played the piano for four years, and was an outstanding student.
Mayor Guido Carlin paid tribute, saying: 'She was a well-known and much-loved girl – quiet, polite and actively involved in village life. She sang in the children's choir and what struck me most was her smile.'
Pneumonia, an inflammation of the lungs usually caused by infection, can be serious. Symptoms include coughing, shortness of breath, fever, and chest pain. The NHS advises calling 999 for difficulty breathing or confusion.
