A 12-year-old girl who ‘was a friend to everyone’ and ‘had a smile that lit up every room she entered’ passed away just days following the development of complications linked to Covid-19, an inquest heard.
Fabiana Zoppelli, who had the rare genetic disorder floating-harbor syndrome, contracted a ‘minor cough’ on June 1 before falling seriously ill with the virus last year.
The schoolgirl’s mother, Itohan Ehiggie had called doctors on June 3 after Fabiana developed a rash and started vomiting and she was taken to the A&E department at the Royal Oldham Hospital.
After Fabiana, who was described as a ‘generally healthy’ child, tested positive for Covid on June 5, a decision was made to transfer the schoolgirl to Manchester Children’s Hospital.
As her temperature reading and oxygen became increasingly ‘harder to maintain’ medics there agreed the schoolgirl should be referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.
While she was leaving the hospital on a mobile ventilator on June 7, Fabiana went into cardiac arrest and tragically died. A two-day inquest into Fabiana’s death started at Rochdale Coroner’s Court on October 11.
It heard how on Fabiana took a PCR test and was placed on an oxygen machine on arrival at hospital on June 3. As her condition deescalated, she was put on life support.
It became clear the equipment was not working and a decision was to be made to transfer Fabiana to Manchester Children’s Hospital after her positive result.
She was ventilated again on her arrival at the Paediatric Intensive Care unit on June 6. The doctors said that her temperature was reading 40°C and her oxygen became more ‘harder to maintain’. A nurse also noted how she looked ‘pale and tired’ through the glass window to her bed.
Medics agreed the schoolgirl should be referred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool to be placed on a xtracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) machine. The treatment would help with cardiac and respiratory support.
Although, while she was leaving hospital on a mobile ventilator on June 7, she went into cardiac arrest and died. One doctor described her case as the worst he had seen in a child throughout the entire pandemic.
Speaking at the inquest, her mother, Mrs Ehiggie, said Fabiana enjoyed music, food and helping others. She told the court her daughter would ‘always offer a helping hand’ to those in need, particularly younger children.