Gordon Brown gives the Commons an update on Swine Flu
- 00:00:47
- ITN
Gordon Brown gives the Commons an update on Swine Flu
Family photos have been released of the the youngest Briton to die after contracting swine flu. The photos released by six-year-old Sameerah Ahmad's family show her smiling despite being wheelchair-bound with a medical tube in her nose. The schoolgirl, who was born with a rare and life-threatening disorder affecting her small intestine, died at Birmingham's Children's Hospital on Friday evening. Doctors suspect she also suffered from a condition which weakened her bone marrow and immune system, making it difficult for her body to fight infection. Tests revealed she had contracted swine flu, although it is not yet known if this contributed to her death. At the opening of an inquest at Birmingham Coroner's Court on Tuesday, Sameerah's father Imran Ahmad said his daughter had suffered during her life. When asked if he wanted a post-mortem examination to be carried out, he replied: "Obviously I do not because she has been through a lot already in her life. "She has been through a lot, but, if it's the law, it's the law. I cannot do anything about that." Birmingham and Solihull Coroner Aiden Cotter advised Mr Ahmad that a post-mortem examination was necessary to find out how his daughter died, although it was not strictly a legal requirement. He said: "It may be that, when we have all the evidence in, we still won't know but it's important we try and find out." Mr Cotter told Mr Ahmad that he was releasing more information about Sameerah's death than was usual at an inquest opening. He said: "I think it's very important that the public have this information. There must be a lot of parents who are worried and are very aware of your grief."
ITN | July 1, 2009
