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Tragedy after landing in ViennaStudent (†21) gets on the plane with a headache – four hours later he is dead
Zander with his mother Jessica
facebook/Jessica Philogene
“He lived his life to the fullest.”
Alexander Philogenes is an Australian exchange student in Vienna for six months. After a few beautiful days in Porto, he gets back on the plane to Austria with a headache – a few hours later he is dead.
Alexander's condition worsens during the flight
“He looked so happy and healthy.” This sentence from his mother hits right in the heart. Because just a few hours after a last FaceTime conversation, Alexander “Zander” Philogenes is dead. The 21-year-old was in Vienna as an exchange student, studying chemical engineering and finance. He travels to Porto with friends. A short trip that ends fatally.
Reading tip: Student (7) dies after meningococcal infection
While still at the airport on April 11th, Zander wrote that he wasn't feeling well. Nevertheless, he gets on the plane back to Vienna. At first it's just a headache. But then his condition worsens dramatically. At the end of the three-hour flight, he suddenly suffered from shortness of breath, dizziness and a skin rash, writes the English newspaper Mirror. Symptoms that seem inconspicuous at first – but indicate a dangerous infection.
After landing, Zander collapses at Vienna-Schwechat Airport. cardiac arrest. Rescue workers take him to a hospital by helicopter. But any help comes too late.
Video tip: Alessandro loses both legs after a meningococcal infection
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Meningococci kill him within hours
Doctors diagnose meningococcal sepsis. A particularly aggressive form of meningococcal disease that spreads rapidly. The student died just four hours after the severe symptoms appeared. It is suspected that he became infected during his stay in Portugal. Despite vaccination – apparently with a particularly aggressive strain of the pathogen that is currently circulating in Europe.
It's a nightmare for his family. His mother describes her son as cheerful and highly intelligent: “He lived his life to the fullest.” The loss is deep, the sadness can hardly be put into words. According to the Mirror, friends and acquaintances are now collecting donations to support the family. A close friend calls him “a kind and wonderful soul.”
Reading tip: Baby Nala is fighting for his life after a meningitis outbreak in England
The tricky thing about meningococci is that the first signs often resemble the flu. Fever, headache, nausea. Symptoms that many underestimate. A skin rash is considered a warning signal, but often appears late or does not appear at all. That's exactly what makes the disease so dangerous – valuable time is lost. (yeah)
Sources used: Mirror
