Russian model fights for life after contracting meningitis during 'white slave trade' contract in China - 18 months after catwalk star died in the country
- Alisa Mitrova, 21, was mistakenly diagnosed with chicken pox in Shanghai
- Miss Mitrova is without medical insurance and has run up a £30,000 bill
- Her case is similar to 14-year-old child model Vlada Dzyuba who died in 2017
- Russian girls are lured to China from a young age - Alisa started at just 15
A Russian model is fighting for her life after contracting meningitis on a 'white slave trade' contract in China.
Alisa Mitrova, 21, was originally wrongly diagnosed with chickenpox when she collapsed unconscious on a gruelling seven-month catwalk assignment.
This follows the case of Russian child model Vlada Dzyuba who died 18 months ago after she became seriously ill with 'acute meningitis compounded by anorexia' during a three month assignment on tiny pay in China unaccompanied by her parents.
Like 14-year-old Vlada and reportedly many Russian models in China, Miss Mitrova had no medical insurance when she was struck down.
Alisa Mitrova, 21, is fighting for her life in hospital two hours from Shanghai with meningitis after she was mistakenly diagnosed with chicken pox
Miss Mitrova is without medical insurance and was being charged £17,700 each night at the hospital in Shanghai where she was rushed by her Brazilian boyfriend Rafael this week
Miss Mitrova could not recognise herself or her boyfriend when she came back to consciousness
Miss Mitrova's mother Lina, 45, said: 'Now all we pray about is that she survives. We don't ask for anything else.'
After fainting, Miss Mitrova was this week rushed to hospital in Shanghai which hit her family with a bill of £17,700 a night, say reports.
Share this article
When she briefly came round she didn't recognise herself in the mirror or her Brazilian boyfriend named Rafael who had saved her by rushing her to hospital.
Despite fighting for her life with bacterial meningitis, the uninsured model was then moved to a 'cheaper hospital' two hours outside the city.
Her father Vitaly said: 'Conditions there are naturally worse, but we were told that the level of help is still good … Medics say she is in a "heavy" condition, although there was a moment when she got back to senses and spoke to us.
Miss Mitrova has been moved to a cheaper hospital two hours outside Shanhai - her mother Lina, 45, said: 'Now all we pray about is that she survives'
Miss Mitrova's case is disturbingly similar to that of child model Vlada Dzyuba who died 18 months ago after she became seriously ill with 'acute meningitis compounded by anorexia' in China
Model Alisa Mitrova with father Vitaly, mother Lina and younger sister - fortunately her parents accompanied her - 14-year-old Vlada had been on her own when she fell ill in China
'The next four days are the most complicated because they will show if she'll make it ... Of course, there is no way she can continue working as a model.'
Concern has been expressed in Russia, Ukraine and Belarus over young women - some of school age - lured to work in China as models or in 'seedy clubs'.
Russia launched a criminal case into Vlada's death but critics have warned of such cases being the 'tip of an iceberg' of a 'white slave trade' with girls and women from poor families in the former USSR being exploited and paid 'pittances' for exhausting long hours of work.
Miss Mitrova before she came down with her illness relaxes beside the pool in China
Miss Mitrova and her Brazilian boyfriend Rafael walking across a sandy beach in Asia
Miss Mitrova started modelling in China aged just 15 and cases like hers have been described as the 'tip of the iceberg' of a 'white slave trade' in China which pays them meagre wages
Miss Mitrova's family hope she can make a full recovery after doctors made their diagnosis of bacterial meningitis
Miss Mitrova started modelling in China when she was 15, say reports.
Her total medical bill if she survives is estimated to be £30,000 which her family cannot afford.
Her family say that without social media fundraising by her friends, she could easily have died by now.
'Her appearance, her face, were in such high demand in China that she was asked to work abroad days after she completed her studies at the modelling agency,' said her mother, who works on a market in Rostov-on-Don.
Her model agency Vosmodels refused to comment.
A spokesman said Miss Mitrova's illness was 'no concern of the media' even though her parents and friends had put her plight into the public domain.
Miss Mitrova on the catwalk, her mother said: 'Her appearance, her face, were in such high demand in China that she was asked to work abroad days after she completed her studies at the modelling agency'
Miss Mitrova's mother Lisa (pictured) worked at a market in Rostov-on-Don before heading to China with the rest of the family
Vlada was laid to rest in a wedding dress in Perm city because she would never marry, said her family.
Her death - following an initial misdiagnosis of her condition after she collapsed exhausted on a catwalk - promoted an outcry over the fashion industry's alleged exploitation of young models.
The Chinese hospital where she died said she suffered blood poisoning 'with multiple visceral organs damaged, liver dysfunction and renal insufficiency.'
Most watched News videos
- 'He paid the mob to whack her': Audio reveals OJ ordered wife's death
- Shocking footage shows roads trembling as earthquake strikes Japan
- Shocking scenes at Dubai airport after flood strands passengers
- English cargo ship captain accuses French of 'illegal trafficking'
- Crowd chants 'bring him out' outside church where stabber being held
- Appalling moment student slaps woman teacher twice across the face
- Murder suspects dragged into cop van after 'burnt body' discovered
- Chaos in Dubai morning after over year and half's worth of rain fell
- 'Inhumane' woman wheels CORPSE into bank to get loan 'signed off'
- Prince Harry makes surprise video appearance from his Montecito home
- Brits 'trapped' in Dubai share horrible weather experience
- Shocking moment school volunteer upskirts a woman at Target
