Hours after getting a 'runny nose', 13-year-old girl tragically dies from the flu

A family has been left heartbroken after their 13-year-old daughter described as 'perfectly healthy' passed away from the flu.

Crystal-Lee Wightley had a fever with body aches and coughing on Tuesday, which took a drastic turn in 48 hours.

Her mother, Dymanty Fulham was quick to make a doctor's appointment on Friday morning, but she was too late, finding her daughter unconscious at 6:15 am. 

Paramedics pronounced Crystal-Lee dead at their family home in Baxter, Victoria.

"Crystal was kind, smart, beautiful and had comebacks that would make a room stop and then laugh," her sister wrote in a tribute on Facebook.

"On Monday I was sitting with her for the afternoon talking about baby names of her baby cousin she was getting ready to meet," her sister continued.

"She was honest. She was caring and her heart was in the right place when to came to caring for the little people in her life."

She explained how her entire family had been sick, with Crystal being the last of the family to catch the virus that ended up taking her life.

"There was hope that she like everyone else was getting over the disgusting virus," she said.

Her sister continued: "We as a family will hold each other hands, cry, mourn, grieve and be together.

"Baby girl... I love you. I miss you and I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you," she said.

Crystal-Lee's death comes only days after the flu claimed the life of a two-year-old boy in Perth last Tuesday.  

Elijah Hunyh just turned two when he caught the strain of influenza. His family explained how the virus "spread like wildfire" overnight with no warning signs. 

He was quickly checked into his local Karratha Health Campus for treatment but sadly lost his life days later.

"You will always have my heart as with your mummies and your baby sisters. My first boy I’m so proud of you! Mummy and daddy love you unconditionally!," Elijah's father Dave wrote on Facebook. 

Recently, Australia reached a death toll of 228 during this flu season with 120,000 officially confirmed cases of the virus.

Now, the South Australian government has announced a campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of this flu and educate them more.   

SA Health Minister Stephen Wade says this new campaign is a timely reminder for everyone to look after themselves, and that everyone has a responsibility to stop the spread of the virus.

"The flu virus is spread by human contact and can live up to 48 hours on hard, smooth surfaces such as door handles, playground equipment and desktops," Mr Wade said.