CHANDIGARH: A six-month-old girl from Phagwara in Punjab, who was admitted to the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here for corrective heart surgery, died on Thursday.
The girl, who was on a ventilator support, had tested positive for coronavirus on Tuesday.
Sources said that the infant was diagnosed with a congenital heart defect. She was admitted at the Advanced Paediatric Centre of PGIMER on April 9 in a critical condition. Later, the girl was sent to COVID-19 treatment facility at Nehru Hospital Extension in the hospital. She was referred to the PGIMER from Apollo Hospital in Ludhiana where she stayed for thirty-six days.
"Investigations are going on to find out how the baby got the infection. Given that the incubation period of coronavirus is up to two weeks, it is possible that the baby was already infected with coronavirus at the time of admission to the PGI," said an official.
Dr Ashok, PGI spokesperson, said there was no pre-emptive screening as the infant and her family members did not have any travel history.
Special Chief Secretary (Revenue), KBS Sidhu said her parents, grandparents along with all the 54 members of the health staff, including 18 doctors, have reportedly tested negative.