British woman 'paralysed' after mosquito bite in China

A British conservationist is in a critical condition in hospital after falling ill following a mosquito bite in China.

Dr Sophie Williams, 31, a lecturer at Bangor University, has reportedly been struck down with a viral brain infection spread through mosquito bites.

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She has been diagnosed as contracting Japanese encephalitis, a viral brain disease found in South East Asia and the Far East.

Dr Williams first complained of headaches and nausea on 6 July while on a botanical research trip in China with students from the university.

She fell unconscious in a remote area near the Vietnamese border, and was flown to hospital. She was diagnosed with the disease, which can cause swelling in the brain, and was then flown to a hospital in Bangkok.

According to the BBC, a Bangor University statement said: "After initial assessment and treatment in China, she was transferred to another hospital in Bangkok where she remains in a critical condition.

"The staff of Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden as well as the healthcare staff at the hospitals in Xishuangbanna and Bangkok have provided excellent care and support for Sophie and her family."

Dr Williams' parents Mike and Pauline, and her partner Robert, flew out to Bangkok to be at her bedside.

Mr Williams, 65, of Malton, North Yorkshire, told the Daily Mail: "We know this is a life-threatening condition but we are just praying Sophie can pull through. She has opened her eyes but she's very tired.

"At the moment she is paralysed down her right side and doctors say part of her brain is damaged. She has no memory."

The Daily Post reports that a university spokesman added: "Sophie, a highly-respected and well-liked conservation expert, was working on the joint project between Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanic Garden and Bangor University's Treborth Botanical Garden when she was taken ill.

"Dr Sophie Williams remains in a critical condition, although we understand that the medical team are hoping to transfer her to a UK hospital in the near future."


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