By Ruairi O’Connor
A 20-year-old De Montfort University student collapsed during a seminar as he was sent reeling by what may have been the effects of the Australian Flu epidemic.
Journalism student, Tyler Arthur, was found slumped in the bathroom, just minutes after informing his module tutor he felt unwell.
“It was the most ill I have ever been in my life, I was incapable of doing anything for around a week,” he said.
“When I was at my worst, I literally couldn’t get out of bed for more than 10 minutes without feeling faint and my temperature was skyrocketing by the second.”
He added: “I started to feel incredibly light-headed so I tried to go to the bathroom to freshen up and by the time I got there, I couldn’t hold myself up.
“I was discovered, nearly unconscious, in the bathroom and had to be taken home immediately.”
The strain of flu, called H3N2, is potentially deadly to those with weaker immune systems, and has wreaked havoc in Australia this winter.
Around 170,000 cases of the flu were reported and now it has spread faster in the UK than anyone could have anticipated, with at least 14 people admitted to hospital in the last two weeks due to it.
“If I did have the Aussie Flu, hearing those figures makes me feel glad that I did not feel the full wrath of what it seems to do to others.
“I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy, it was awful.”
Thankfully, Mr Arthur is now back in full health and attending university once again.
