BHUBANESWAR: Amid the gloom prevailing around the pandemic comes the story of a 25-day-old premature and low birth weight baby recovering from Covid-19 in Odisha’s most backward Nuapada district.
The baby boy was born to Yadram Rout and his wife Seema of Bhalukona at the Nuapada district headquarters hospital on April 17.
The baby was born premature in just 33 weeks and weighed 1.755 kg against a normal weight of 2.5-3.5 kg. The newborn was shifted to the SNCU on April 17 and discharged on April 24. He was taken to the village by his parents, said Nuapada CDMO, Dr Kali Prasad Behera.
However, the baby started sneezing and coughing a few days later following which Seema took him to the hospital again on May 12. The mother and her child’s rapid antigen tests were conducted and both found infected. While Seema was asked to stay in home isolation, her child was admitted to the SNCU of the hospital. The doctors said the baby was critical. “His SpO2 level had dropped. His weight too had come down to 1.63 kg and haemoglobin level very low.
We put him under oxygen support while blood transfusion was given twice. Considering the baby’s pre-existing health conditions, it was difficult to ascertain how he would respond to treatment. We, though, never lost hope and tried our best. To our utmost delight, he was soon way to recovery,” said district medical officer-cum-superintendent and paediatrician, Jyotshna Rani Patanayak.
The child fully recovered and was discharged on May 18. His weight too had increased to 1.8 kg. “We have named our child Vikas. I am glad he is fine now,” said Yadram. He lauded the doctors at the district headquarters hospital for saving his son’s life.