A 17-year-old boy who died in California of problems possibly linked to the coronavirus last week was seen denied healthcare in an emergency medical center for not having health insurance, as reported by the mayor of Lancaster, the city where the young man lived, in a public video.
The boy, not officially identified by the authorities, as well as NBC News, died on March 18. Initially, health officials indicated that the cause of death was coronavirus, the pathogen that has generated a global emergency and has also hit California hard, where it has almost 5,000 confirmed infections.
However, later the health authorities stated that it was not entirely certain that this virus was the cause of his death and that it was necessary more studies to determine for sure what caused it.
Rex Parris, the mayor of Lancaster, a city located in Los Angeles county north of the Californian metropolis, assured this Wednesday in a video posted on YouTube that the young man had no previous health problems and until Friday, March 13, a few days before his death, “He was in good health and spending time with his friends.” “By Wednesday, he was dead,” he added.
That day, the teenager went to an emergency medical center after being ill for a few days, Parris explained. The CNN chain claims that his parents accompanied him.
“He had no insurance, so they did not treat him,” Parris added, adding that the boy was later sent to an Antelop Valley public hospital.
Along the way, he suffered cardiac arrest, according to the mayor. When the teenager arrived at the hospital, the doctors who treated him managed to revive him and keep him alive for six hours. But it was not enoughParris said.
“We have learned that once you have respiratory problems, are short of breath and have a fever, now is the time to receive medical treatment, without delay,” Parris said. The mayor did not reveal which emergency clinic the patient went to.
“When a child has respiratory distress, stabilize him and call an ambulance, don’t ask for insurance,” Parris was furious in remarks to CNN.
The Los Angeles County health agency did not immediately respond to additional questions from that chain about this young man’s case. A NBC News said the young man’s case was being evaluated by the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control, which they would determine the cause of his death.
In the United States, there are 27 million citizens without health insurance (8.5% of the population), according to Business Insiders.
With information from NBC News.
