A French schoolgirl with no underlying medical conditions has become the youngest person in Europe to die of coronavirus.

The victim, known only as Julie A, 16, succumbed to respiratory problems in a Paris hospital on Wednesday after first developing a slight cough a week ago.

Her heartbroken sister Manon issued a warning to others that COVID-19 can kill young people as well as older patients with underlying health problems.

She said – We must stop believing that this virus only affects the elderly.

No one is invincible against this mutant virus.

Julie just had a slight cough last week. It got worse last weekend with mucus and on Monday we went to see a general practitioner.

It was there that she was diagnosed with respiratory distress. She had no particular illnesses before this.

Manon agreed to speak to the Parisien newspaper and to release a photograph of her sister because she wanted to warn others about the risk of coronavirus to young people.

Julie lived with her family in Longjumeau, south of Paris, and was studying at high school.

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She was first rushed to her local doctor on Tuesday and then transferred to the Necker hospital in the French capital.

Her sister continued – Her lungs failed. The doctors did everything they could but it was impossible to wake her up.

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HER LUNGS FAILED:

Manon and her mother arrived at the hospital after Julie’s death. It was violent, she said. We had time to see her, but we quickly had to think about the future.

The 16-year-old’s funeral will take place on Monday in her hometown but with only ten people maximum attending.

Manon said Julie was bright and much loved and loved to dance, sing, and make people laugh.

On Thursday, the French authorities said 365 people had been killed by COVID-19 over the previous 24 hours, taking the national death toll to 1,696.