Man wrongly diagnosed with flu dies

A Christchurch man died from a leg infection after being sent home with Tamiflu by doctors at a swine flu centre.

Minh Que Tran, 44, died of septicaemia cellulitis in his right leg within minutes of arriving at Christchurch Hospital on July 22.

He had become ill about four days earlier, but believing it to be the flu, sought treatment at a central-city swine flu drop-in centre. His family is angry he was not diagnosed and sent to hospital when it became apparent something else was wrong.

Mr Tran, who escaped the Vietnam War as a youth and was accepted into New Zealand as a refugee in 1983, went to the centre three times in the days leading up to his death.

He was sent home each time - even after he complained of agonising pain in his right leg on the morning of his death, his family says. Virology results have since confirmed he did not have swine flu.

He leaves behind a widow and two daughters aged 9 and 14.

Speaking on behalf of the family, Mr Tran's nephew Dan Lai said he should never have been sent home from the flu centre the day he died.

Mr Tran's death has been reported to the coroner. The Canterbury District Health Board was unavailable for comment last night.