http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2009/08/05/104955_gold-coast-top-story.html
August 5th, 2009
THE Gold Coast family of a young father believe tragedy could have been prevented had he been warned about the risks of swine flu when he sought treatment for an unrelated problem weeks ago.
Broadbeach resident Adrian Taii, 25, became the first local fatality and 12th in Queensland of the virus after succumbing to swine flu and other complicating factors in Gold Coast Hospital on Saturday.
Relatives of the father of three who 'lived for his children' said he began feeling ill last Tuesday but declined offers to take him to hospital, until he began vomiting blood on Saturday morning.
Hours later, Adrian Taii -- who had been in and out of hospitals since suffering a minor stroke and being diagnosed with heart disease two years ago -- was dead.
In a statement announcing the death, Queensland Health said he had been deemed to be part of 'a group vulnerable to the virus'.
Yesterday -- seven weeks after Mr Taii was discharged from the same hospital, where he had been treated for his pre-existing condition -- his grieving sister Tasiana Taii said that had he been told about the potential risks posed by swine flu at the time, he may still be alive.[./b]
"They basically told him that if he didn't stop the occasional drinking and smoking, he would die," she said.
"We knew the implications of that, however, we were not informed that the swine flu could be any kind of a vital problem concerning his health. We never thought it was going to be life threatening if he caught it.
"His brother offered to take him to hospital when he started feeling sick (last week) but he was just, like, 'nah, it will be fine'.
"If we had known the risk we would have made him go and maybe he would still be here."
It was not until after his death that tests confirmed Mr Taii had contracted swine flu.
Ms Taii said she hoped her brother's death may cause others with pre-existing medical conditions to ask about the risks.
Mr Taii's mother, Tonuao Taii travelled from Geelong -- where her son had lived with his children until late last year.
She said her family had been left shattered.
"He came up here to be close with his brothers and sisters because he loved his family," she said.
"His children and his family were his passion."
A Queensland Health spokesman cited privacy issues and declined to comment on any aspect of Mr Taii's case.
He would not confirm whether or not there was a procedure in place to warn Queensland Health patients whether they fell into a 'group vulnerable to swine flu' but said information about at-risk patients was readily available at hospitals and on their website.
The website lists pregnant women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the obese and people with respiratory disease, heart disease, diabetes, renal disease and those with immuno-suppression as those most at risk.
Late yesterday Queensland recorded its 13th human swine flu-related death.
A man in his 30s, who was in a vulnerable group, died on Monday in a undisclosed north Queensland hospital.
August 5th, 2009
THE Gold Coast family of a young father believe tragedy could have been prevented had he been warned about the risks of swine flu when he sought treatment for an unrelated problem weeks ago.
Broadbeach resident Adrian Taii, 25, became the first local fatality and 12th in Queensland of the virus after succumbing to swine flu and other complicating factors in Gold Coast Hospital on Saturday.
Relatives of the father of three who 'lived for his children' said he began feeling ill last Tuesday but declined offers to take him to hospital, until he began vomiting blood on Saturday morning.
Hours later, Adrian Taii -- who had been in and out of hospitals since suffering a minor stroke and being diagnosed with heart disease two years ago -- was dead.
In a statement announcing the death, Queensland Health said he had been deemed to be part of 'a group vulnerable to the virus'.
Yesterday -- seven weeks after Mr Taii was discharged from the same hospital, where he had been treated for his pre-existing condition -- his grieving sister Tasiana Taii said that had he been told about the potential risks posed by swine flu at the time, he may still be alive.[./b]
"They basically told him that if he didn't stop the occasional drinking and smoking, he would die," she said.
"We knew the implications of that, however, we were not informed that the swine flu could be any kind of a vital problem concerning his health. We never thought it was going to be life threatening if he caught it.
"His brother offered to take him to hospital when he started feeling sick (last week) but he was just, like, 'nah, it will be fine'.
"If we had known the risk we would have made him go and maybe he would still be here."
It was not until after his death that tests confirmed Mr Taii had contracted swine flu.
Ms Taii said she hoped her brother's death may cause others with pre-existing medical conditions to ask about the risks.
Mr Taii's mother, Tonuao Taii travelled from Geelong -- where her son had lived with his children until late last year.
She said her family had been left shattered.
"He came up here to be close with his brothers and sisters because he loved his family," she said.
"His children and his family were his passion."
A Queensland Health spokesman cited privacy issues and declined to comment on any aspect of Mr Taii's case.
He would not confirm whether or not there was a procedure in place to warn Queensland Health patients whether they fell into a 'group vulnerable to swine flu' but said information about at-risk patients was readily available at hospitals and on their website.
The website lists pregnant women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, the obese and people with respiratory disease, heart disease, diabetes, renal disease and those with immuno-suppression as those most at risk.
Late yesterday Queensland recorded its 13th human swine flu-related death.
A man in his 30s, who was in a vulnerable group, died on Monday in a undisclosed north Queensland hospital.