Delhi: 45-day-old baby dies of Covid-19, over 30 quarantined

One of the saddest news on Sunday shocked the country as a45-day-old baby died of the highly infectious novel Coronavirus at Lady HardingHospital here.

The infant who died on Saturday early in the morning, hasbecome the youngest casualty in the country. Additionally, 6 health workershave tested positive for the virus and more than 30 have been quarantined.

   

A hospital source told IANS that a 45-day-old baby was keptin the COVID dedicated ward. The baby was not born at Lady Harding Hospital,and had come from outside.

“I am not aware what condition he was in, when he wasbrought to the hospital and how long he was there because he was admitteddirectly to the dedicated COVID ward in the hospital. We have made a separatefacility for new born which is for the babies who are born in the hospital.This baby was beyond the neonatal period,” said the source, adding”this makes a total of two infants in our hospital who have testedpositive for COVID 19. Of which this baby has expired.”

The source also said, there are six healthcare workers whohave tested positive including 2 doctors, 3 nurses and one lab technician.

“Around 30 staff members from the pediatric departmenthave been quarantined but none of them has tested positive as of now. However,they are still under observation. A team of healthcare workers from the adultdepartment has also been quarantined as it was looking after a patient who haddied earlier. But the exposure in the pediatric department was bigger. Contacttracing in health care workers is underway. The pediatric ward is beingsanitized,” the source said.

Speaking about the due procedure to be followed for casemanagement of COVID-19 among infants, the source said, “There is not muchclarity on the infant care during COVID because not much has been seen in ourcountry, so there is less data on that. Every country is handling this pandemicsituation according to their own system and situation.

“Therefore their ways of managing cases are alsodrastically different. One country said the newborn should be separated fromthe mother for 14 days and one room with one dedicated nurse should be given tothem. Such logistics are not even available in our country.

“Another country has said that the baby should be withthe mother and both should be taken care of. We will have to see what suitsus,” the source added.

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