A young mum has tragically passed away from the flu in what's been described as a 'one-in-a-million' case.
Price Meropol McMahon, 36, was a marathon runner with no underlying health conditions who died from the flu just five days before Christmas (20 December).
The mum from Wellesley, Massachusetts had influenza complications which developed quickly after she complained of a fever on 19 December.
By the following morning, she was experiencing breathing difficulties.
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Her condition went on to deteriorate to the point where she was taken to the hospital in the afternoon, and she sadly passed away just hours later.
Recounting the moment he learned of her death, Price's bother Ian Meropol told the Boston Globe: "The doctor's words, I'll always remember this...
"'This is a one-in-a-million case of influenza.'"
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As reported by the Mirror, it is extremely rare for the flu to kill a woman of Price's age and health, despite the seasonal condition claiming between 12,000 and 50,000 lives in the US each winter.
Ian described his sister as a 'smart, hardworking, driven' woman who put her family first despite being a high flier in her career.
He explained that prior to her death, she was training for the Boston Marathon, having already completed the New York Marathon with an impressive time of fewer than four hours.
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Price's dad similarly added that his late daughter 'never talked about her successes in business, or running, or tennis' and was ultimately '100 percent family' oriented.
A GoFundMe has now been set up to help her family with the unexpected costs incurred as a result of her death, and it has already surpassed its target of $100,000 - with a total of $154,668 raised by 524 donors at the time of writing.
News of the mum's untimely death comes amid an exponential number of people being admitted to British hospitals with flu this winter.
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The NHS revealed that more than 1,100 people were hospitalised because of the flu every day in the second week of December compared to just 25 hospitalisations a day in 2021.
That's 4,000 percent more hospital admissions from the flu in a year.
The NHS said that there is now a 'perfect storm' taking place within the system between the flu, Strep A and Covid creating further demand for already stretched services.
Health chiefs added that the majority of those hospitalised from the flu were elderly people over 85 and children under the age of five - putting into context how rare Price's case was.
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Further information about the flu and its symptoms can be found on the NHS's website.
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Emma Guinness