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Flesh-eating virus claimed young footballer's life
21 Jan
Summary
- Luke Abrahams died from necrotising fasciitis after misdiagnoses.
- Ambulance service admitted Luke should have gone to hospital earlier.
- Out-of-hours doctor missed crucial 'red flag' symptoms during video call.
A promising 20-year-old amateur footballer, Luke Abrahams, died from a deadly flesh-eating virus after a series of medical misdiagnoses. Initially treated for tonsillitis, his condition rapidly deteriorated.
Despite severe leg pain, an out-of-hours doctor misdiagnosed him with sciatica via a video consultation on January 20, 2023. Ambulance crews subsequently failed to recognize critical warning signs.
Luke passed away on January 23, 2023, at Northampton General Hospital. A post-mortem revealed he suffered from septicaemia, Lemierre syndrome, and necrotising fasciitis.
An inquest heard that an ambulance service representative admitted Luke should have been transferred to a hospital on January 20. Crucial "red flag" symptoms, including a high temperature and dangerously high blood sugar levels, were overlooked.
The doctor who conducted the video consultation stated he did not notice any red flags, focusing only on pain in the leg and back. He was unaware of Luke's previous multiple contacts with healthcare services that week.
The inquest, expected to last three days, aims to establish the full circumstances surrounding the tragic series of errors that led to Luke's preventable death.
