Australian grandmother Kerri Cosma 58, arrived in Nanjing on April 13 on what was to be a routine visit to see her daughter and son in law; both having moved to China two years ago.
After testing positive for the H1N1 virus, Ms. Cosma has been on life support for the past 10 days. Daughter Emma Madigan has confirmed with Fairfax news that her mother began feeling unwell a few days into her trip, before deteriorating rapidly into respiratory failure.
She is currently being treated at Nanjing Southeast University Hospital. Mrs. Madigan has said it could take “over 18 months for a full recovery”. Her condition at present is said to be improving.
Influenza A virus subtype H1N1 is a respiratory virus that causes red blood cells to clump together and binds the virus to the infected cell. In 2009 the virus spread from Mexico to Hong Kong and was declared a national emergency in America, over 18,000 people died. In 2015 the virus spread through Venezuela killing 17 people while a further 200 people were treated.
