13-year-old Chance Penionsgo from Echuca in Victoria, woke up, got breakfast, and said goodbye to his mom, Regina Rose, before boarding the school bus.
According to Rose, he didn’t seem like he was off. She then asked him to come home after he started feeling sick.
Although Rose initially thought that his symptoms were caused by the common cold, Chance soon started to deteriorate.
He was sent to a hospital due to his seizures. He was then diagnosed with influenza A. This condition is a type of brain illness that can trigger necrotizing encephalitis, or brain inflammation.
Despite efforts to keep him alive, he died six days after he started feeling ill.
A month later, Rose spoke to a local news station about her son’s death and how he was taken too soon.
She said that she immediately suspected something was wrong when she picked him up from school.
The severity of his illness significantly changed from the previous day. Even though he only had headaches, Rose could tell that he wasn’t feeling well.
That night, he went to dinner and fell asleep while watching a movie with his mom.
On the morning of June 21, Rose heard Chance moaning. He didn’t respond to his mother, so she called the emergency number.
After checking him out, he was taken to an Echuca hospital. He was then confirmed to have influenza A. Despite being unaware of the exact cause of his seizures, Rose said she didn’t believe that influenza A was the cause of his condition.
Chance started to deteriorate rapidly. After doctors discovered that he had fluid on his brain, he was flown to the Royal Children’s Hospital. An MRI revealed that his brain was in danger of dying. Rose said that seeing someone go to the toilet at around 3:30 in the morning, followed by an announcement that they were dying at around 6.30 in the evening, still seemed unreal.
A rare and life-threatening type of encephalitis that can be triggered by viral or influenza infections is called acute necrotizing encephalitis. It affects the brain’s various parts and causes tissue to die.
This condition is incredibly rare. According to Dr. Aadhil Aziz, a GP in Melbourne, it can manifest in various ways. For instance, seizures can occur as the disease progresses. He noted that fevers could also be a symptom of the illness.
The mortality rate in children is usually around 100 percent. Despite the various medical procedures that were performed to try and save him, Chance died on June 26. He was on life support for a couple of days, and he was surrounded by his friends and family when he passed away. Rose described him as a very strong boy who was very kind to everyone.
In Victoria, there have been more than 20,000 cases of influenza this season. According to the health department of the state, the number of cases has significantly increased from April to June. A six-fold spike in emergency department presentations has also been reported.
While many people are likely not motivated to get vaccinated due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Aziz said that immunization against the flu is very important. A Go Fund Me page has also been established to help the family with the costs of funeral and ambulance services. Rose said that it was important for the public to raise awareness about influenza and that more research should be done to prevent similar deaths from happening to other families.
Rose said that getting vaccinated is also important for everyone. She urged people to get it early, even if it means taking a test.