NEW DELHI: A five-day-old baby who had tested positive for coronavirus after being delivered at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital has been discharged from the hospital after showing no symptoms of Covid-19. The baby is the youngest to be infected with the virus and the duo has now been advised by doctors at the hospital to self-isolate at home.
The mother of the child who is also COVID positive delivered the baby on May 13. Based on the guidelines of the central government, the woman was tested for the virus whose results came positive after the delivery was done. A team of doctors by Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), including Dr. Tapas Bandopadhyay, Dr. Rahul Chaudhary, Dr. Sushil Chaudhary, and Dr. Abhinav was formed to conduct the delivery.
“The woman had no symptoms. The baby who was also tested after five days on May 18 also tested positive. However, it was important to have the baby breastfed, The mother is carrying out all precautionary steps such as wearing masks and gloves before proceeding with lactation,” Dr Rahul Chaudhary, Assistant Professor, RML Hospital said.
Three days after testing positive and showing no symptoms, the duo was discharged from the hospital and is currently under home isolation. Both the mother and child are being tracked twice a day by a medical team.
When asked whether there is any risk involved over the newborn and the mother, Dr Rahul explained that it is necessary to continue with the breastfeeding following all precaution as the child appeared to be out of danger despite being positive as the virus remains confined in the upper part of the nose or mouth.
“The child will be tested again after 14 days. Rest course of action will be taken thereafter,” he said.