Why does Gustav von Aschenbach remain in Venice despite warnings of cholera?

In Thomas Mann’s novella Death in Venice, the protagonist Gustav von Aschenbach remains in the city despite warnings of a cholera epidemic because he is consumed by an overwhelming obsession with a beautiful young boy named Tadzio.1

Although Aschenbach is a writer known for his disciplined, intellectual, and formal approach to life, his encounter with Tadzio triggers a profound internal collapse. He chooses to sacrifice his dignity and well-being to remain near the object of his infatuation, prioritizing the immediate, sensuous experience of beauty over his own safety. Ultimately, this fixation leads him to abandon his usual self-control, leaving him vulnerable to the disease as he succumbs to both his desire and a subconscious wish for death.213