Death of Nimrat Gill likely caused by rare bacterial infection, says Fraser Health review

Fraser Health has released laboratory results that indicate Nimrat Gill, the three-year-old girl who died at Abbotsford Regional Hospital in February, may have been killed by a rare bacterial infection.

The results indicated Gill had invasive group A streptococcal disease.

Strep infections are common and can be detected within hours by a quick throat swab but this invasive form is very rare and can be fatal in 15 to 20 per cent of cases, according to Victoria Lee of Fraser Health.

The BC Coroners Service still has to make a final determination as to what killed the three-year-old.

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In 2015, the BC Centre of Disease Control counted 234 cases of invasive group A streptococcal disease in the province, resulting in 17 deaths, one of which was a child. Of the 234 cases in B.C. that year, 78 were reported by Fraser Health.

Gill’s family brought the three-year-old to the Abbotsford Hospital emergency room in February but was told she should go home and take Tylenol.

The next day they returned to hospital where Nimrat passed away.

Fraser Health said it is implementing six measures, including sepsis screenings on all child patients in triage. It will also adopt a new pediatric early-warning-signs program to help make decisions in its emergency rooms.

Global News spoke to Gill’s family, who has hired a lawyer to deal with the matter. The family is not commenting on the case until the investigation is complete.

— With files from John Hua