A mother in the United Kingdom issued a stark warning to young people who are skeptical about the effects of the coronavirus after her 21-year-old daughter died from the disease.
Chloe Middleton, who lived on the outskirts of London in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, succumbed to the illness on Sunday even though she had no preexisting medical conditions that would make it difficult to battle the mysterious virus, according to her family.
“My beautiful, kind-hearted niece, Chloe, has passed away from COVID-19,” Middleton’s aunt wrote on Facebook. “She had no underlying health issues. My loved ones are going through the most unimaginable pain. We are shattered beyond belief.”
Contrary to early guidance provided by doctors and researchers studying the coronavirus pandemic, an uptick in young people suffering from the illness has alarmed officials — including White House coronavirus task force coordinator Dr. Deborah Birx, who said last week she was concerned about young people getting “seriously ill” in Italy.
The U.K. has seen a sharp rise in cases this month, leading Prime Minister Boris Johnson to order a nationwide shutdown on Monday.
“To all the people out there that thinks it’s just a virus please think again,” wrote Middleton’s mother, Diane Middleton, on Facebook. “Speaking from a personal experience this so-called virus has taken the life of my 21-year-old daughter.”
