GORAKHPUR: A mother refused to accompany her eight-year-old COVID-19 positive daughter to the hospital out of fear of contracting coronavirus, officials said on Monday.
It was only after the doctors stepped in and counselled the woman that she agreed, they said.
"On Saturday evening, a girl in Gorakhpur's Surajkund area was found corona positive and had to be hospitalised.
However, her mother refused to accompany her due to fear of getting infected, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Gorakhpur Srikant Tiwari told reporters.
"As it was difficult to admit the little girl without an attendant, our counseling team along with a lady doctor went to her home on Sunday and counselled her," he added.
"The counsellors cited several examples including that of a three-month-old child from Basti who had COVID-19 but the mother did not get infected despite breast-feeding the infant," the CMO said.
"Similarly, a woman from Badhalganj area stayed with her nine-month-old coronavirus positive baby in the hospital for more than two weeks. The baby was discharged after 15 days and the mother remained negative," he added.
According to Tiwari, the woman was assured that she would be tested every four days and trained on how to protect herself from the virus.
"We were able to convince her and the child is currently undergoing treatment at the Railway Hospital," Tiwari said.