A Queensland coroner has found that the deaths of an Australian mother and daughter on holiday in Bali were caused by a severe allergic reaction.
Yvana Bischoff and her mother Noelene died early last year just 24 hours after arriving in Bali. The pair were enthusiastic and experienced travellers which made their deaths all the more shocking to family members.
Extremely rare bacteria to blame
Terry Ryan, the coroner responsible for the findings, believes the most likely cause of the allergic reaction was some type of fish. In comments made to the ABC, Noelene’s brother Malcolm said that for this particular bacteria to have had the chance to live on the fish, it needed to have grown under a very specific set of circumstances.
Mr Ryan also found that the fact that the mother and daughter both suffered from asthma was likely another contributing factor in their deaths.
Chance of the deaths almost non-existent
The family of the women were told by health authorities that the chances of both the mother and daughter being affected and dying from the same type of food poisoning was one in millions.
These two terrible deaths have aimed a giant spotlight on the importance of everyday food safety both in Australia and all over the world. In his findings, Mr Ryan also said that travellers need to be aware of the risks of visiting certain places and that not all destinations have the same ‘comprehensive food safety framework’ that Australia does.
Food poisoning leaves man with heart damage
Australians must ensure that they take food safety precautions when at home as well as overseas. A traveller to Australia recently suffered terribly as a result of food poisoning contracted in Brisbane. The New Zealander spent several days on life support after suffering food poisoning in Australia last week. The man, who had previously undergone a heart transplant, was struck down by the food-related illness when his immune system began attacking his donor heart while trying to rid his body of the poison.
Australians need to be aware of the risks of food poisoning both at home and abroad. If you suspect you may be suffering from food poisoning check out this handy Survival Guide to Food Poisoning.