Schoolgirl, 16, with no underlying medical conditions becomes France’s youngest coronavirus victim

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)

 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

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.’

A schoolfriend said Julie was ‘a very sociable, funny, kind, ambitious girl who was loved by everyone in high school.’   

French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to the Necker hospital in Paris recently

French President Emmanuel Macron on a visit to the Necker hospital in Paris recently 

France has so far avoided scenes seen in other European countries such as Spain and Italy – the worst-hit nations on the continent with the world’s highest death tolls.

But on Thursday France recorded its highest death toll – 365 – and number of new infections – 3,922 – in a single day. It has now seen 29,155 infections and 1,696 deaths.

Frédéric Valletoux, president of the French Hospitals Federation, said patients will have to be transferred to hospitals outside the capital because they could become overwhelmed within in two days.

He said: ‘If we leave each hospital to fend for itself, each territory caught up in the epidemic to fend for itself, we are headed for disasters.’ 

French PM Edouard Philippe warned of an ‘extremely high’ surge in infections and ‘difficult’ days ahead which threaten to ‘put the entire healthcare system, the entire hospital system, under enormous pressure.’ 

He added: ‘We find ourselves in a crisis that will last, in a health situation that will not improve any time soon.’ 

French president Emmanuel Macron tweeted that he had discussed the crisis with Donald Trump during a late-night phone call, posting: ‘Very good discussion with @realDonaldTrump. In response to the COVID-19 crisis, we are preparing with other countries a new strong initiative in the coming days.’ 

The country has some 14,000 coronavirus patients in hospital, with 548 in intensive care.

Spain yesterday announced its death toll rose by 769 to 4,858, while the total number of infected rose to 64,059 from 56,188.

The country’s health chief Fernando Simon said: ‘In percentage terms, today’s increase is roughly equivalent to that of the past three days, in which we seem to see a clear stabilization.’ 

Italy’s death and infections rate – 8,215 and 80,589 – has also stabilised in recent days.

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