French schoolgirl, 16, with no underlying medical conditions becomes ‘youngest person in Europe’ to die from coronavirus after developing ‘a slight cough’
- Tributes are being paid to Julie A., 16, who died at the Necker hospital in Paris
- She was first rushed to her local family doctors on Tuesday and then transferred
- Her sister Manon now wants to warn of the dangers of coronavirus for the young
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
A ‘bright and much loved’ French schoolgirl with no underlying medical condition has died from coronavirus and is believed to be the youngest victim in Europe.
Tributes were today being paid to Julie A, 16, who succumbed to respiratory problems in a Paris hospital on Wednesday after first developing a ‘slight cough’ a week ago.
‘We must stop believing that his virus only affects the elderly,’ said her heartbroken sister, Manon.
‘No one is invincible against this mutant virus. Julie just had a slight cough last week. It got worse last weekend with mucus and on Monday we went to see a general practitioner.
Tributes were today being paid to Julie A., 16, (pictured) who succumbed to respiratory problems in a Paris hospital on Wednesday after first developing a ‘slight cough’ a week ago
‘It was there that she was diagnosed with respiratory distress. She had no particular illnesses before this.’
Manon agreed to speak to the Parisien newspaper, and to release a photograph of her sister, because she wanted to warn others about the risk of coronavirus to young people.
Until now, many have thought that only the old are in danger of dying because of the virus.
She was first rushed to her local family doctors on Tuesday and then transferred to the Necker hospital in Paris (pictured)
Julie was from Longjumeau, in the Essonne department, south of Paris, and was studying at high school while living with her family.
She was first rushed to her local family doctors on Tuesday and then transferred to the Necker hospital in Paris.
‘Her lungs failed,’ said Manon. ‘The doctors did everything they could but it was impossible to wake her up.
On Thursday, the French authorities said 365 people had been killed by COVID-19 over the previous 24 hours, taking the national total of those who have died in hospital to 1,696. Pictured: medical staff at an emergency coronavirus hospital being set up in a gymnasium in Taverny near Paris
Manon and her mother arrived at the hospital after Julie’s death. ‘It was violent,’ she said. ‘We had time to see her, but we quickly had to think about the future.’
Julie’s funeral will take place on Monday in her home town, but with ‘only ten people maximum’ taking part.
Manon said Julie was ‘bright and much loved’ and ‘loved to dance, sing, and make people laugh.’
French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to the Necker hospital in Paris recently
A schoolfriend said Julie was ‘a very sociable, funny, kind, ambitious girl who was loved by everyone in high school.’
On Thursday, the French authorities said 365 people had been killed by COVID-19 over the previous 24 hours, taking the national total of those who have died in hospital to 1,696.
The figure does not include those who died from the virus at home or at retirement homes, health official Jerome Salomon said.
France has been in lockdown since March 17 in a bid to slow the spread of the epidemic.