By George Day • Published: 30 Mar 2020 • 9:57
A young chef from Italy was told ‘he had nothing to worry about’ by doctors before his death, which his family think coronavirus caused.
Luca Di Nicola, who was working in his family’s restaurant in Enfield, north London, died on Tuesday evening.
According to Italian media, Luca, originally from Nereto in east Italy, died from apparent fulminant pneumonia at London’s North Middlesex Hospital.
His distraught family have said they are finding it difficult to accept Luca’s death because he was ‘very healthy.’
They have since suggested that he may have had coronavirus, but this is yet to be tested and confirmed by medics. The family say they are awaiting post-mortem swab results.
Luca’s aunt Giada told La Repubblica: “For a week before his death, Luca had a fever and a cough and my sister-in-law Clarissa and her partner Vincenzo, who lived in the same house, also had it.
“The London-based doctor gave my nephew some paracetamol but Luca got worse on March 23. The doctor visited him at home and told him that he was young, strong and that he didn’t have to worry about that bad flu.”
However, Giada said his condition worsened and he was complaining of chest pains.
They dialled 999 and he was rushed to hospital, with paramedics reviving him on the way. It is reported his lungs were full of blood and water and he was rushed to the intensive care unit at the hospital. He died around half an hour later at about 7pm.
Share this story
Subscribe to our Euro Weekly News alerts to get the latest stories into your inbox!
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don't already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
By signing up, you will create a Euro Weekly News account if you don’t already have one. Review our Privacy Policy for more information about our privacy practices.
Download our media pack in either English or Spanish.