Alexander ‘Zander’ Philogenes, 21, died in an Austrian hospital on April 11 from meningococcal disease, six days after he embarked on a holiday to Portugal with friends
An exchange student who boarded a flight across Europe complaining of a headache tragically died from meningococcal disease just four hours later.
Alexander ‘Zander’ Philogenes, 21, died in an Austrian hospital on April 11, six days after he embarked on a holiday to Portugal with friends. Zander, from Perth, Australia, was in his fourth year of a chemical engineering and finance double degree, spending six months in Vienna on a university exchange program.
After enjoying a few days in Porto, he texted friends that he wasn’t feeling well as he boarded the plane home. By the end of the three-hour flight he had developed a headache, a rash, and was short of breath and dizzy.
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Upon touching down in Vienna, he went into cardiac arrest at the airport and was rushed via helicopter to the nearest hospital. He was pronounced dead a short time later, just four hours after developing symptoms of meningococcal sepsis he had contracted in Porto.
Zander’s mum – is still coming to terms with the devastating loss. She told reporters in Australia about the last FaceTime they shared: “He was living his best life. He looked so happy and healthy. It’s so tragic. We’ve cried a river and still do. He was such a gifted student, highly intelligent, and he had a love of life.”
It is believed Zander, who was vaccinated, contracted a particularly lethal strain of meningococcal disease currently circulating in Europe. None of his fellow travellers have reported any symptoms following the trip.
His family have discouraged young people from travelling alone, saying Zander may have sought medical treatment earlier if he had someone with him.
Family friend Louise Williams described him as a “truly kind and beautiful soul” on a GoFundMe campaign raising funds for his school. She said: “Our entire community is heartbroken for the Philogenes family, and so many of us are feeling helpless – wishing we could take even a small part of this pain away.
“This is one way we can come together to support them. Any contribution, no matter how small, will support the family through the incredibly difficult days ahead.”
Early symptoms of meningococcal B – the most common and aggressive strain of the disease in the UK currently – can be vague. Like flu, it often begins with a sudden fever, headache, nausea, muscle aches and a general sense of feeling unwell.
Because these symptoms overlap with common viral infections – or even a hangover – cases are sometimes missed in the crucial early hours. A rash that does not fade when pressed is a well-known warning sign, but it is often late – and may not appear at all.
