A woman accused paramedics of ignoring her brother’s plea for help before he became the first person to die of meningococcus in South Australia this year.
Luke Wingfield, 36, started feeling ill last weekend before waking up with a fever at his home in Ferryden Park, northwest Adelaide, on Tuesday morning.
Mr. Wingdield’s cousins, who lived with him, believed that he would recover from his initial flu-like symptoms.
The family called an ambulance Tuesday morning after Mr Wingfield’s condition worsened and he was unable to get out of bed.
Luke Wingfield (pictured) is the first person in South Australia to die of meningococcus in 2023
The 36-year-old man (left) initially had flu-like symptoms before his condition rapidly worsened and the family called an ambulance.
His sister, Tania Wingfield, claimed that ambulance workers refused to pick up her brother because his symptoms were not “serious”.
“It got so bad and my family, my father, my brother and my sister were saying I couldn’t get out of bed,” Ms Wingfield said. the advertiser.
“He had his bag and everything packed, but the first ambulance workers refused to take him because they said his symptoms weren’t serious.”
Ms Wingfield said her brother was eventually picked up by an ambulance and taken to Royal Adelaide Hospital after he collapsed due to a seizure.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MENINGOCOCCAL?
Meningococcus can cause a purple-red rash (pictured)
-Fever Lack of appetite
– Legache
– Unusual skin color
– Exhausted
– Vomiting and diarrhea
– Drowsiness Convulsions, seizures or spasms
– Red-purple rash
Source: Department of Health
Mr Wingfield’s family rushed from Port Augusta, some 200 miles north of Adelaide, to hospital after his condition deteriorated rapidly.
On Wednesday night, less than 48 hours since Mr Wingfield arrived at hospital, the 36-year-old died after his family made the difficult decision to turn off his life support.
Ms Wingfield said her family was “absolutely heartbroken” and described her brother as a “beautiful person”.
“Luke was a very quiet, humble and gentle giant who had a lot of love and respect for everyone who came his way,” she said.
‘As soon as you heard him swear, he treated his brothers and father like kings and treated our sisters and our mother and nieces like queens.’
She said 9News her brother was a healthy, vibrant man who was fit, didn’t smoke, and didn’t take drugs.
Mr Wingfield worked in the Carapateena mines, 100 miles north of Port Augusta, he is the first person to die of meningococcus B in South Australia in 2023.
The state has recorded 16 cases of the disease since January 2023, surpassing last year’s total of 14 cases.
Since 2018, the meningococcal B strain vaccine has been free in South Australia for some groups.
Ms Wingfield urged Australians to seek medical help even if they think their symptoms are not serious.
“Whether you think it’s not serious or not, please get help, because I wouldn’t want this, I wish it on no one,” Ms Wingfield told 9News.
The South Australian Ambulance Service confirmed that there will be an internal investigation into Mr Wingfield’s case.
Meningococcal disease is a rare and serious disease caused by the Bacteria Neisseria meningitidis.
Mr Wingfield died at the Royal Adelaide Hospital (pictured) less than 48 hours after waking up with a fever. His family claims that ambulance workers refused his first call for help because his symptoms were not “serious.”
The family described Mr. Wingfield as a “gentle giant” who treated the men in his family like kings and the women like queens.
The bacteria can cause blood infections and even meningitis, an infection of the brain and spinal cord.
Symptoms of the disease include fever, lack of appetite, drowsiness, leg pain, lack of energy, and fits or convulsions.
Younger people who get meningococcus may have a rash that does not go away when pressed with a clear glass.
Anyone who thinks they or a loved one may have meningococcus is urged to seek medical treatment immediately.
