Luca Di Nicola reportedly died from fulminant pneumonia but his family believe he had undiagnosed Covid-19

A 19-year-old Italian chef has died after a doctor reportedly told him he had ‘nothing to worry about’, with his family suspecting coronavirus played a part in his death.

Luca Di Nicola, who was working in his family’s restaurant in Enfield, north London, died on Tuesday evening. According to Italian media, Luca, originally from Nereto in east Italy, died from apparent fulminant pneumonia at London’s North Middlesex Hospital.

His heartbroken family said they are struggling to come to terms with their devastating loss as he was ‘very healthy’.

They believe he may have had Covid-19, although this has not yet been confirmed by medics and the family say they are awaiting post-mortem swab results.


It has not been confirmed whether the 19-year-old had contracted coronavirus

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He was rushed to North Middlesex University Hospital where he died shortly after arriving (Picture: Google)

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Luca’s aunt Giada, from Abruzzo, told La Repubblica: ‘For a week before his death, Luca had a fever and a cough and my sister-in-law Clarissa and her partner Vincenzo, who lived in the same house, also had it.

‘The London-based doctor gave my nephew some paracetamol but Luca got worse on March 23. The doctor visited him at home and told him that he was young, strong and that he didn’t have to worry about that bad flu.’

However, Giada said his condition worsened and he was complaining of chest pains. His mother Clarissa noticed his lips turning purple right before he collapsed.

They dialled 999 and he was rushed to hospital, with paramedics reviving him on the way.

It is reported his lungs were full of blood and water and he was rushed to the intensive care unit at the hospital. He died around half an hour later at about 7pm.

Luca’s family said they are heartbroken as he was ‘very healthy’ and believe he contracted the virus

Luca’s aunt Romina, who lives in Glasgow, said she is heartbroken, adding: ‘We don’t know anything – not even where they will move his body’.

She also raised concerns over his mother and partner who were told to regulate symptoms with paracetamol and self-isolate for two weeks. Romina said they were not tested for Covid-19.

It comes as the UK’s coronavirus death toll jumped to 1,228 after another 209 people were confirmed dead.

Meanwhile, in Italy – which is now the worst-hit country in the world – the death toll has fallen for the second successive day on Sunday. In total, 756 more people have died, which brought the number of victims up to 10,779, the Civil Protection Agency said.

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