Child and man from Kirklees die after catching swine flu

Jul 7 2009 by Katie Grant, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TWO people – including a young epileptic girl who recently lost her father – have died in Kirklees after catching swine flu.

Nine-year-old Asmaa Hussain and 42-year-old Abdullah Patel of Dewsbury have both lost their lives, but it is not yet known if swine flu killed them.

Schoolgirl Asmaa died after showing symptoms of the virus three days previously.

It is the second terrible tragedy to strike the family this summer as Asmaa’s father, Meban Hussain, died two months ago from a heart attack.

Her uncle said she had epilepsy and suffered a fit last Thursday at around 10.30pm – and she died 15 minutes later.

Mr Patel, of Savile Town, is believed to have suffered from lung and kidney disease.

The 42-year-old, who also had swine flu, died on Sunday.

It is believed he was a teacher at the Institute of Islamic Education, a private boarding school in Savile Town.

That school was closed down last week after three people contracted the virus.

It is believed there will be no inquest into Mr Patel’s death as it is thought to be from natural causes.

A post mortem examination for Asmaa is expected to be conducted later this week.

It is thought the Dewsbury deaths bring the total number in the UK to have died after being struck by the virus to seven.

Asmaa’s uncle Ghulam Rasoo said the nine-year-old was a pupil at a special school in Dewsbury and was taken to her doctor who diagnosed flu symptoms and put her on a course of the drug Tamiflu.

But Asmaa never got the chance to take the tablets as they were posted to her family later that day – just before she died.

Mr Rasoo, 48, said the family did not realise she had swine flu until the doctor took a sample and confirmed it was the virus.