Heartbroken mother of 12-year-old flu victim desperately urges parents to be aware of deadly sepsis after her 'brave' son died from both illnesses three days after diagnosis

The heartbroken mother of the latest flu victim is desperately urging parents to be aware of life-threatening sepsis after the complication killed her 12-year-old son. 

Dylan Day, from Stoke-on-Trent, passed away after developing the blood infection, which was triggered by a strain of influenza B, last weekend.

Writing on Twitter, his mother Sarah Day said: 'My son died two weeks ago from flu b and sepsis. Please help me to help others. Read about Dylan. If you are ill and no better just ask "could it be sepsis".

'How can my boy die in an horrific way. Please share SEPSIS Kills. #dylansarmy. My brave boy. Love Dylan’s Mum xxx' 

Tributes have flooded in for the keen footballer, with family and friends describing him as a 'brave, loving and polite' young boy who will be 'greatly missed'.

Ms Day announced his death in a poignant Facebook post, revealing he had 'really suffered' before he died on January 20.

His death comes as the latest Government figures reveal the death toll in the UK has reached 191, but officials warn the killer outbreak has peaked.

Dylan Day, from Stoke-on-Trent, passed away after developing sepsis, triggered by a a strain of influenza B he was fighting, last weekend

Mrs Day revealed her son 'was never stable' and that it was 'a battle all the way' before his eventual death at a hospital in Liverpool.

Writing on a tribute page, the 'helpless, desperate mummy' declared: 'Dylan really suffered, my brave beautiful boy.

'My poor boy. He was so kind, he never moaned, he was quiet and kind and he loved life! Why Dylan?'   

Mrs Day said she and her husband had lost a little 'footy man' and pleaded for her boy so that she could kiss him and hold him one last time.

'My Dylan was a true gentleman too,' another gut-wrenching appeal added. 'I miss him and love him so much.' 

Revealing Dylan's brother and sister had been badly affected by his death, a third post added: 'Help his little brother who needs some hope. Help my family grieve.'

REVEALED: THE UK VICTIMS WHO DIED FROM FLU DURING THE WINTER OF 2017/18

Coby Simons, nine, from Exeter, passed away on January 24 - two days after being struck down with the killer virus. His parents initially asked for his identity to be hidden.

Public Health England at the time confirmed the gifted maths pupil tested positive for flu. He becomes the sixth victim across the UK to have been named.

Tributes have flooded in for the year 5 pupil, who was shown to have influenza B in his post-mortem. He was described as 'absolutely perfect' by his parents.

His mother Louise told DevonLive: 'He was just such a lovely boy. He was absolutely perfect; I wouldn’t have changed anything about him, not even when he was in a bad mood.' 

 

Dylan Day, 12, died from flu, his heartbroken parents revealed.

The schoolboy, from Stoke-on-Trent, passed away after developing sepsis, triggered by a a strain of influenza B he was fighting, on January 20.

Tributes flooded in for the keen footballer, with family and friends describing him as an 'amazing' and 'cheeky' young boy who will be 'greatly missed'.

Dylan's mother Sarah announced his death in a poignant Facebook post, revealing he had 'really suffered' before his eventual death.

 

Bethany Walker, 18, died after taking ill at home - initially from flu symptoms which later developed into pneumonia. 

Miss Walker, of Applecross, Scotland, was airlifted to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness but died later on January 5.

Tributes poured in on social media. Her mother Heather Teale wrote on Facebook: 'My beautiful Daughter Bethany Walker was taken from me.

Miss Walker wanted to study midwifery and was due to head for Aberdeen University later this year.

 

Melanie Coombs, 56, who defied her death sentence and beat terminal cancer three times died from 'Aussie flu'.

Ms Coombs, from Hailsham, East Sussex, eventually succumbed to pneumonia and passed away in hospital shortly after Christmas.

Her grieving son, Anthony Butler, 30, believes the deadly H3N2 strain of influenza A, dubbed 'Aussie flu' was responsible for his mother's eventual death.

Speaking about his 'inspirational' mother's ordeal for the first time, he told Mirror Online: 'She said, "cancer won't kill me" - and she was right. 

 

Owen Hardy, 95, from Chichester, lost his battle to the bug on January 4. His family said his death is a ‘huge loss for the nation’

.

The World War II Spitfire veteran died after contracting one of the killer flu strains that is currently circulating the UK, his grieving daughter revealed.

During his time serving for the RAF in the war, the wing commander’s heroics saw him be awarded the top medal for valour – the Legion d’Honneur. 

His heartbroken daughter, Debbie Elliott, told the Chichester Observer: ‘It’s a huge loss. We’re all devastated. He has left a huge gap in all of our lives. 

 

Sean Hughes, from Dublin, died from the 'flu' on January 12, his heartbroken parents revealed days after.

The 15-year-old, who was an aspiring rapper, passed away in hospital after being rushed for emergency treatment the evening before.

Doctors were adamant Sean, known to his friends as Lil' Red, had the flu when they saw him on Wednesday.

Tributes flooded in for Sean, who was 'loved by everyone' and described as a 'larger-than-life young man' who was 'way ahead of his years'. 

Tributes have flooded in for the keen footballer, with family and friends describing him as an 'amazing' young boy who will be 'greatly missed'. Dylan's mother Sarah Day announced his death in a poignant Facebook post

Mrs Day revealed her son 'was never stable' and that it was 'a battle all the way' before his eventual death at a hospital in Liverpool

WHAT FLU STRAINS ARE IN THE UK IN 2018?

There are many different types of flu circulating around the world, but four main types are being seen in Britain this winter.

H3N2 - Dubbed ‘Aussie flu’ after it struck Australia hard last winter, this strain is more likely to affect the elderly, who do not respond well to the current vaccine. This is one of the most common strains seen so far this winter, with at least 63 confirmed cases seen in official laboratories.

H1N1 - This strain – known as ‘swine flu’ - is generally more likely to hit children, who respond well to vaccination. This has been seen nearly as often as H3N2 so far this year, with at least 50 cases confirmed in labs. In the past it was commonly caught from pigs, but that changed in 2009 when it started spreading rapidly among humans in a major global pandemic.

B / Yamagata - This is known as 'Japanese flu'. Only people who received the ‘four strain’ vaccine - which is being slowly rolled out after it was introduced for the first time last winter - are protected against the Yamagata strain. Those who received the normal ‘three strain’ vaccine are not protected. This strain has been seen in at least 63 lab cases so far this winter.

B / Victoria - This strain is vaccinated against in the normal ‘three strain’ vaccine, but has hardly appeared so far this winter, with just around four confirmed cases.

'He loved football and this has rubbed off on his younger brother, his footy team and Dylan’s footy team are broken hearted.' 

To donate to Dylan's just giving page please click here. 

Deaths across the UK 

Figures released today revealed 155 deaths have been recorded in England, 25 in Scotland and 11 in Northern Ireland. No precise data exists for Wales.

England is now showing 'statistically significant' excess deaths for the first time this winter. Scotland and Northern Ireland are already breaching this quota.

However, Wales appears to be being hit by flu cases the hardest, with the nation on the brink of announcing an epidemic, according to Government statistics.

How can flu be deadly? 

Flu often leaves sufferers feeling sick and riddled with a constant cough and runny nose. However, in extreme cases it can be deadly. 

It poses the biggest risks to the elderly, young children, pregnant women and those with a compromised immune system. 

It can lead to pneumonia and also trigger sepsis – an infection that sparks a violent immune response in which the body attacks its own organs. 

Sepsis: The facts 

The 'silent killer' is the leading cause of avoidable death, killing at least 44,000 a year, and the Daily Mail has long campaigned for more awareness.

If caught early, the infection can be controlled by antibiotics before the body goes into overdrive - ultimately leading to death within a matter of minutes. 

A Facebook page has been created since Dylan passed away on Saturday, January 20. It has so far amassed 1,350 'likes' in just 24 hours. 

You also read more about Sepsis by visiting the Sepsis Trust here.

WHY IS H3N2 CALLED AUSSIE FLU? HOW AUSTRALIA WAS ROCKED BY THE KILLER STRAIN THAT HAS SPREAD TO UK, US AND EUROPE

Some of the country's A&E units had 'standing room only' after being swamped by more than 100,000 cases of the H3N2 strain

Australia - whose winter occurs during the British summer - had one of its worst outbreaks on record, with two and a half times the normal number of cases.

Some of the country's A&E units had 'standing room only' after being swamped by more than 100,000 cases of the H3N2 strain.

The elderly with their compromised immune systems are particularly susceptible, and a spike in cases among young children has also been shown.

The flu season in the UK and the rest of the Northern Hemisphere tends to mirror what has happened in Australia and the Southern Hemisphere.

The same strains of the virus will circulate north in time for the British flu season, which typically begins in November and lasts until March.

Flu viruses are constantly changing proteins on their surface to avoid detection by the body's immune system - making it more deadly.

This transformation is called an 'antigenic shift' if it's large enough, and can lead to a pandemic. This was responsible for the swine flu outbreak in 2009.

The Aussie flu is transforming quickly, but not fast enough for experts to describe it as a shift. However, it is slowly building up immunity.

Dozens of users of the social media network have penned touching tributes to the schoolboy on the page and on a separate fundraising site.

‎Karen Porter‎ wrote: 'Many treasured memories of this young man... he hasn't changed a bit. Still that cheeky smile. 

'A quite but confident kind lad. A lovely kind family. No words can explain how you are feeling. Take all the love and care being given to you at this time.'

Photos from his childhood have been posted on the 'In memory of our beloved son Dylan Day' page and have received hundreds of 'likes'.

The JustGiving campaign has so far raised £9,500 in three days. It is hoped that the family will raise £15,000 in total for a gift to 'cherish his memory'.

The post read: 'Raising funds for the family of this beautiful boy Dylan, who lost his short battle with flu and associated illness last weekend, aged 12.

'There is so much love in the community for this devastated family, it would be lovely to give them a gift to use to cherish his memory and treat his siblings.'

The family said the response and support they have had so far is 'overwhelming', and have praised 'Dylan's army' for their kind tributes and donations. 

HOW BAD IS THE UK BEING HIT BY FLU THIS WINTER AND HOW CLOSE ARE WE TO AN EPIDEMIC?

Health agencies for each of the home nations monitor 'excess deaths' - how many more people die than expected - to give a rough estimate of flu deaths.

However, Public Health England, Health Protection Scotland and Northern Ireland's Public Health Agency all provide data on how many have died in intensive care.

This means the death toll of 191 is likely to only be a fraction of the true number. A rough victim count will be tallied at some point later this year.

THE FIGURES THAT SHOW JUST HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE REPORTING FLU-LIKE SYMPTOMS TO THEIR GP (PER 100,000) - COMPARED TO LAST WINTER

	WEEK 48	WEEK 49	WEEK 50	WEEK 51	WEEK 52	WEEK 1	WEEK 2	WEEK 3
ENGLAND	7.6	8.5	11.4	18.9	21.0	37.3	53.1	54.1
LAST YEAR	8.2	9.0	12.1	16.2	12.0	18.8	20.3	16.5
EPIDEMIC	109	109	109	109	109	109	109	109
WALES	5.9	6.4	8.7	13.2	16.7	38.9	62.1	74.7
LAST YEAR	9.2	12.9	13.4	12.4	13.4	21.1	17.1	17.8
EPIDEMIC	75	75	75	75	75	75	75	75
SCOTLAND	9.3	15.1	32.5	41.0	46.3	107.2	113.9	102.1
LAST YEAR	9.8	11.7	11.1	16.2	12.8	13.6	22.7	19.7
EPIDEMIC	419	419	419	419	419	419	419	419
N IRELAND	4.0	8.2	10.1	20.7	22.7	52.6	65.2	52.1
LAST YEAR	17.7	23.2	21.5	29.1	20.9	32.1	33	21.4
EPIDEMIC	142.0	142.0	142.0	142.0	142.0	142.0	142.0	142.0

Deaths have already risen to worrying levels in Scotland and Northern Ireland, with England also now showing a 'statistically significant' amount of excess deaths.

Wales is being hit the hardest, with flu symptoms reported in GP consultations being considered 'high'. The rest of the UK falls under the 'moderate' bracket.

This is how officials announce an epidemic, with each country having its own criteria per how often flu symptoms are reported per 100,000 patients.

How bad was the UK hit in week 2?

• In England, 54.1 GP consultations per 100,000 report flu symptoms. An epidemic would be defined as breaching 108.9 per 100,000.
• In Scotland, 102.1 GP consultations per 100,000 report flu symptoms. An epidemic would be defined as breaching 418.9 per 100,000.
• In Northern Ireland, 52.1 GP consultations per 100,000 report flu symptoms. An epidemic would be defined as breaching 142.4 per 100,000.
• In Wales, 74.7 GP consultations per 100,000 report symptoms. An epidemic would be defined as breaching 75.4 per 100,000.

Patients visiting their GP with flu symptoms have increased in Wales and England since last week, with a 20 per cent jump noted in Wales and 2 per cent in England.

However, the figure has dropped by around 20 per cent in Northern Ireland and 10 per cent in Scotland, suggesting their outbreaks have peaked.

Thousands have been hospitalized by flu across the home nations, as four strains of the killer virus attack the population, including the 'Aussie' and 'Japanese' strains.

The latter is believed to be responsible for nearly half the hospitalizations recorded, while the dreaded H3N2 strain that rocked Australia caused a sixth of them. 

Running low on the vaccine 

The new figures come after a third of GP practices were revealed to have run out of flu vaccines or be running low - despite repeated urges for at-risk patients to get their free jab.

WHY IS THE FLU SEASON OF 2017/18 THAT HAS ROCKED THE WORLD SO SEVERE?

The rocketing number of flu cases in the UK and across the world has been put down to a surge in four aggressive subtypes attacking the population simultaneously.

One includes the so-called 'Aussie flu', a strain of influenza A which triggered triple the number of expected cases in Australia during the country's winter.

Experts fear the virulent H3N2 strain, which has now reached the UK, could prove as deadly to humanity as the Hong Kong flu in 1968, which killed one million people.

Another is a strain of influenza B, called Yamagata and dubbed 'Japanese flu', which has been blamed for the majority of cases so far this winter.

Its rapid spread has raised concerns because it is not covered in a vaccine given to the elderly. However, experts claim it is less severe.  

Usually, just one sub-type, of either influenza A or B, is responsible for the majority of cases. The bug spreads easily in the cold weather. 

Richard Pebody, acting head of the respiratory diseases department at Public Health England, today announced that flu is 'starting to peak'.

He said: 'We are currently seeing a mix of flu types, including the A(H3N2) strain that circulated last winter in the UK and then in Australia and flu B. 

'It’s important to practice good respiratory and hand hygiene to reduce the risk of spreading flu and other cause of coughs and colds.' 

'Not out of the woods yet' 

However, Professor Simon de Lusignan, medical director of the Royal College of GP's Research and Surveillance Centre, issued caution.

He said: 'We are certainly not out of the woods yet this flu season as the influenza virus is incredibly unpredictable.

'It is quite possible that rates will rise again, although they may continue to level out or even decline.' 

The outbreak is piling extra pressure on an over-stretched NHS with conditions the worst some doctors claim to have seen.

Officials have warned this winter's flu outbreak is the 'most significant' in seven years - but graphs suggest it has peaked and is slowing down. 

Patients considered at-risk, the elderly, young children and pregnant women, have repeatedly been urged to ensure they are vaccinated.

But new data today, obtained from a survey of 400 doctors, shows GP practices - where the jab is free to those at-risk free - are starting to run out.

The Pulse magazine poll comes just two weeks after an investigation revealed some high street pharmacies were also running out of the vaccines.

How many people suffering from flu-like symptoms in the UK? 

Figures from PHE and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine estimate 15.1 per cent of people have been left suffering flu-like illness in the past week.

This equates to around nine million people in the UK, considering the population of the four home nations is around 65 million - but is a slight drop on last week. 

Fatalities have soared by 45 per cent while cases are still accelerating amid fears of the worst outbreak in 50 years that could last until March

Nearly 12,000 people having been left hospitalised in France and more than 30 dead from the same strains of flu circulating the UK

The dominating B strain 

Public Health England data shows so far this season the B strains are dominating, which experts have blamed on an ineffective flu vaccine that GPs were urged to purchase before the season began. 

Leaked files released last week showed that NHS England asked doctors to purchase the trivalent jab - which offers no protection against the B Yamagata strain, referred to as 'Japanese flu'. 

This winter's outbreak appears to be at least three times more severe than that of 2015/16 - when just 1,140 cases were confirmed during week three.

During that winter, Government figures suggested the winter flu played a role in more than 16,000 deaths. Only 577 were recorded in the previous winter.

Blamed for 55,000 cancelled operations 

Health bosses blamed the rapidly escalating cases of flu for their controversial decision to cancel 55,000 operations at the beginning of January.

The same move was also made by French officials as the European country also battled an epidemic of 'exceptional magnitude'.  

Nearly 12,000 people having been left hospitalized in France and more than 30 dead, figures earlier this month revealed.  

Flu is also 'actively circulating' in Ireland, with at least 24 people known to have lost their lives to the killer virus so far in this winter's outbreak.

And in the US, flu has gripped every state except Hawaii, according to the most recent data released by the CDC.

WHERE CAN YOU GET THE FLU JAB? HOW TO GET A VACCINE IN THE UK IN 2018

Flu can be a serious illness. If you become very ill with it, it can cause complications such as pneumonia, kidney failure and inflammation of the heart, brain or muscle.

People at most risk of serious illness or death if they get flu are offered the vaccine on the NHS. Ideally you should have this before the end of December, when flu peaks (it takes around two weeks after the jab for antibodies to develop completely).

At-risk groups include anyone aged 65 and over, people living in long-stay residential care homes, carers and pregnant women.

The vaccine is also offered to anyone aged six months to 65 years with certain conditions, such as diabetes.

It is available via your GP's surgery.

All children aged two to 11 (on August 31, 2017) are also offered the vaccine as a nasal spray. The UK introduced the child vaccination programme in 2013. Last year, the vaccine had 66 per cent effectiveness. Australia does not have a similar programme.

If you do not qualify to have the jab on the NHS, you can pay to get it at a pharmacy.

Well Pharmacy charges £9 to £14 (depending on the number of strains in the vaccine), Superdrug from £9.99, Lloyds Pharmacy £10, Boots £12.99 and Tesco £9.

Older children who fall outside the NHS scheme can get the nasal spray vaccine from some pharmacies such as Well (£23 for those aged between two and 18; this may involve a second dose at least four weeks later for another £23) and the injection for those 12 and over for £9.

Boots offers the jab to those aged 16 and over at £12.99. Tesco offers it to those 12 and over at £9. 

DAILY MAIL