Dubai - School mourns the death of Alia Niyaz Ali.
Published: Wed 14 Nov 2018, 10:00 PM
Updated: Thu 15 Nov 2018, 6:36 PM
A 17-year-old student of a Dubai school died days after contracting flu, making this the second such death in under two weeks. The grade 12 arts student of the Indian High School Dubai died at the Rashid Hospital on Tuesday night.
The Indian student, Alia Niyaz Ali, had attended school till Sunday. After she complained of flu-like symptoms, her family took her to the hospital.
Her brother, Aman Ali, told Khaleej Times: "What started off with her showing simple flu symptoms eventually ended up with her being admitted to the emergency section of the Rashid Hospital. Doctors said the flu virus had caused fluid build up in her heart and stomach, which led to a drop in blood pressure, eventually leading to her demise."
She was laid to rest at Al Quoz Cemetery on Wednesday morning.
The school said in a statement: "Her fellow students and teachers will always remember Alia as a bundle of energy and a pleasing personality - compassionate, helpful and highly creative."
She had been at the school since 2006.
On October 30, a 9-year-old Indian schoolgirl at Our Own Indian High School had died after suffering from flu-related complications for over a week.
Doctors have reiterated the need for students to take flu shots to avoid acute viral infections. Most flu shots - which cost between Dh40 to Dh80 - are safe for children over six months old.
Get vaccinated, brother urges after Dubai student dies of flu
The brother of a 17-year-old Dubai student - who died days after contracting the flu - has urged residents to get the flu shot. The Indian High School grade 12 student, Alia Niyaz Ali, had died at the Rashid Hospital on Tuesday night.
Her brother, Aman Ali, told Khaleej Times: "I don't want anyone to ever go through what my sister went through ... People cannot take flu for granted. Get yourself checked. Get yourself vaccinated annually. This is not a disease that gets cured by some over-the-counter medication. My sister never had any health problems. She was physically fit."
Vaccinations
"Most flu shots are safe for children who are over six months old and must be taken before the beginning of the flu season. Any time between September to October is a good time to take the shot." The vaccine gives patients protection for a year and patients can't take it at the time of active infection. A registered doctor or nurse needs to administer the vaccine, and it costs anything between Dh40 - Dh80 when purchased at a pharmacy, without insurance.
Danger: What to look out for?
To establish the severity of the case, parents can look out for the following symptoms:
1-If the child continues to get sicker and has persistent fever
2-Rapid or troubled breathing means the infection has spread to the lungs
3-If the child develops a blueish hue to his or her skin
4-The child is not ready to interact and if the child feels drowsy
5-Fever with rash
6-Fever with a severe cough
7-The child is refusing to take fluids
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com
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