A 12-year-old Italian girl has died from pneumonia after hospital doctors initially dismissed her severe symptoms as a simple case of flu.
A tragic sequence of events
Azzurra Breda was first taken to a paediatric accident and emergency department after developing a fever and breathing difficulties. Medical staff assessed her but concluded she had the flu and sent her home to Sant'Angelo di Piove di Sacco, near Padua.
Her condition rapidly deteriorated after returning home, with her temperature soaring to a dangerous 40°C. Her worried parents, Valentina and Mattia, rushed her back to A&E the following day, where she was immediately admitted to intensive care.
Tragically, despite medical intervention, Azzurra died from pneumonia at 10am on 31 December. Her death came just two days after her initial hospital visit.
Remembering a vibrant life
Azzurra was described by her devastated family as an athletic, energetic girl with no pre-existing health conditions. She had passed a sports medical examination with excellent results only in October.
She was a talented dancer, had played the piano for four years, and sang in the children's choir at her local parish church. Teachers and local officials remembered her as an outstanding student, polite and actively involved in village life.
"I had seen her in class shortly before Christmas," said Mayor Guido Carlin. "What struck me most was her smile." Azzurra leaves behind her parents and a younger sister.
Investigation and NHS guidance
An investigation into the circumstances surrounding her death is now underway. A post-mortem examination was scheduled for 12 January.
The NHS describes pneumonia as an inflammation of the lungs, usually caused by an infection. While many people recover in two to four weeks, it can become serious, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Key symptoms of pneumonia include:
- A cough – which may be dry or produce thick yellow, green, brown or blood-stained mucus
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- A high temperature
- Chest pain
- Loss of appetite, sweating and shivering
- Feeling generally unwell
The health service advises seeking an urgent GP appointment or calling NHS 111 if you have had a cough for three weeks or more, are coughing up blood, feel short of breath, or have chest pain that comes and goes.
You should call 999 for immediate help if:
- You are struggling to breathe
- You have pale, blue or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
- You feel suddenly confused
- Your baby is difficult to wake or feels floppy
The NHS also stresses that you should not drive yourself to hospital in such an emergency.
