The 17-year-old National Guard soldier, who collapsed last Friday after a regular morning exercise at his unit and had been in a serious condition at the Nicosia General Hospital, was transferred yesterday to the specialised university hospital Paul-Brousse in France.
The exact cause of his collapse is yet to be conclusively determined, although initial symptoms indicated heatstroke.
The doctors are awaiting the results of various tests before providing a final diagnosis, especially given the time of the incident and the subsequent serious complications, which included liver failure.
Heatstroke can lead to severe issues in vital organs such as the liver, according to a competent individual who spoke to philenews. However, drawing official conclusions at this stage would be premature, as the results of toxicological and other tests are still pending.
Another possible cause could be an undiagnosed serious health condition that emerged and worsened due to weather conditions. However, the tests conducted so far have not provided clear indications in this direction either. The doctors are currently gathering more data.
In addition to the pending tests in Cyprus, the team of specialists in France will also investigate the causes that led the soldier to be admitted to the Intensive Care Unit and subsequently transferred to their specialised university centre. They will conduct a comprehensive assessment and perform the necessary laboratory and diagnostic tests.
The Ministry of Defence is also awaiting information on the causes of the soldier’s transfer to Paris, with the ministry spokesperson, Andreas Stylianou, stating that they expect a detailed report from the doctors.
Stylianou explained yesterday afternoon that, at that time, there was no final medical diagnosis, implying that further tests in France may provide more conclusive results.
He elaborated on the events preceding the soldier’s transfer to the Nicosia General Hospital, mentioning that last Friday, right after the regular morning exercise, the 17-year-old felt unwell. The military doctor promptly arranged for his transfer to the Accident and Emergency Department for more detailed assessment and treatment. The soldier was then admitted to the Intensive Care Unit, where he remained until his departure for Paris.
The soldier’s mother accompanied him on the journey, and the Ministry of Health initiated the transfer process on Sunday morning, with his departure from Cyprus taking place yesterday afternoon.
The initial plan was to transfer him to France on Sunday evening, but due to the aircraft-ambulance having already reached its maximum allowed flying hours for the day, the trip was postponed until Monday.
