A Greek shipping heiress who recently overcame cancer has died from an insect bite after being turned away from hospital, family claim.
Marissa Laimou, 28, was found dead in her London apartment by her housekeeper on Thursday.
The cause, according to her mother, was toxic shock from a bug bite.
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“My daughter had survived cancer and died from an insect,” Bessy Laimou said, according to media in Greece.
The type of insect remains unconfirmed.
Laimou had felty dizziness, itching and a fever on September 8 and her condition continued to deteriorate following an at-home consultation with a doctor, who prescribed her paracetamol.
Family and friends said she was taken by ambulance to a hospital later in the week, but nurses who examined her found she did not need to be admitted.
After being sent home with a diagnosis of an insect bite and a prescription for antibiotics, she was found dead in her bed the next day, according to reports.
‘A girl with so many gifts’
Relatives said a post-mortem had not yet been carried out, and they are waiting for that to confirm her cause of death.
Laimou, who had only recently overcome breast cancer, had worked in fashion and recently turned her attention to theatre, staging a production of Romeo and Juliet.
“RIP my beautiful princess,” read one online tribute.
Friends said she was talented, dedicated and modest.
“She was a girl with so many gifts,” her mum said.
Her family name is well known in Greek shipping, with business roots tracing back to the early 1900s.
Most insects in Australia “are not harmful to people”, but some including ants, bees, wasps, mosquitoes and bed bugs can bite or sting.
Symptoms can include pain or a burning sensation, swelling and redness, as well as an itch or blisters.
“Most insect bites and stings will get better after a few days, and you won’t need to see your doctor,” according to Australia’s public health information service Healthdirect.
“But if your bite or sting looks infected or does not get better after a few days, see your doctor.”
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