MADURAI: Just days after leaving a quarantine facility, an 11-month-old baby boy died in Madurai on Wednesday after developing fever and breathlessness. The baby had tested negative for COVID-19 less than a week ago.
The baby’s mother was running an idli shop in Dharavi, Mumbai, where she lived with her parents.
Six members of the family, including the infant, the mother and her parents recently returned to Madurai following which they were quarantined at a government facility in the town, relatives said.
"The family was in the quarantine facility for about 10 days and returned to their village of T Kunnathupatti in Usilampatti block less than a week ago,” relatives said. According to them, the infant had tested negative for COVID-19 while at the facility. “But some three days after reaching home, the baby developed fever and breathlessness," a relative said.
Sources said the baby was taken to Usilampatti Government Hospital which referred the family to the Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) in Madurai. At GRH, he was declared 'brought dead' at around 2 pm on Wednesday.
An autopsy was performed on Thursday evening and the body of the baby was handed over to the family for final rites. Sources at GRH said no swab samples were drawn from the infant after death for COVID-19 testing.