A newborn baby has become America’s youngest coronavirus death after her mother contracted the virus and went into preterm labor.
The mother, who has not been named, was admitted to hospital with Covid-19 symptoms on April 1 and went into labour early as doctors battled to save her life from the deadly infection. But her baby ended up dying as she was born prematurely.
The baby is Louisiana’s youngest coronavirus victim according to state officials.
East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner Beau Clark told the press on Tuesday:
‘The baby, because of the extreme prematurity, did not survive.’ The baby had not been tested for coronavirus, he said.
The coroner said the virus was to blame for the mother giving birth early.
He added: ‘Likely she would have not gone into preterm labour and there would have been a different outcome. This is an incredibly sad case.’
Mr Clark added: ‘The child as of now has not tested positive for Covid-19, however, the mother was, and in speaking with the state epidemiologist, we all agree, myself included and the doctors involved in the care, that this would be a Covid-19-related death because of the positive nature of the mother in this scenario.
‘Had she not been Covid-19 positive, had not required ventilator support, had not had the shortness of breath and hypoxia that’s associated with the virus, likely she would not have gone into pre-term labor and there would have been a different outcome.
‘You hope that this would never happen here in our state, but it has and we’re certainly left dealing with that issue.’
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