'It happened so quickly': Teen in critical condition in hospital fighting flu
A 14-year-old girl is in an induced coma in a Queensland hospital after going to bed one night feeling unwell and waking up with breathing problems in what is a severe case of the flu.
Mercedes King went to bed last Wednesday feeling under the weather and by 3am was in an ambulance being rushed to a nearby hospital before her organs began shutting down.
She is still in hospital a week later in a critical condition.
Cousin Tenille Wise told the Courier Mail that there was no warning that Mercedes would get so sick.
“There was so sign of anything like this happening, she is a young, fit, healthy girl,” Ms Wise said.
“It happened so quickly.’’
Her aunty, Renee Shannon started up a GoFundMe page to cover the immediate medical bills said the teen was placed into an induced coma when she struggled to breathe on her own in hospital.
“Her parents, Troy and Becky, were absolutely unaware of the nightmare that was about to unfold,” she wrote.
“It has now been confirmed that Mercedes has influenza B, pneumonia, sepsis and an unidentified bacterial infection."
“Mercedes has been put on a kidney dialysis machine and may need further life-saving treatment such as, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation."
The family has now raised more than $15,000 so far on their GoFundMe page to cover medical expenses.
Ms Shannon said the Mackay teenager was flown to Brisbane after her condition stabilised, but with only one parent permitted on the flight.
"Her dad and siblings had to stay behind. They frantically put whatever supplies they could into the family car and drove 12 to 13 hours to Brisbane to be with Mercedes.
They have since been put up in Ronald McDonald house, however Ms Shannon said they were told they would need to find alternative accommodation after Monday.
This year's flue season has been described as the worse in recent years and the region Mackay is in has been hit particularly hard with more than 200 cases in the past two weeks.
