Two Covid-19 patients give birth; babies safe

Two pregnant women, who have tested positive for Covid-19, have delivered babies who tested negative for the disease, at BYL Nair Hospital. Both the babies are healthy

Two pregnant women, who have tested positive for Covid-19, have delivered babies who tested negative for the disease, at BYL Nair Hospital. Both the babies are healthy and have been shifted to a different ward to avoid any possible infection.

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According to the hospital, the women tested positive after taking admission in the obstetrician gynaecology department of the hospital for delivery. “As per the new protocol, it is essential to do Covid-19 test before delivery. They did not know that they are carrying the virus till the report came out,” said a doctor from the hospital. Soon after the babies were born, samples were taken from them for testing. “The reports of both the babies have come negative. However, we will again do their testing after a week to avoid false reporting,” said Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of the hospital. These newborns will be fed milk from human milk bank as their mothers will have to recover completely before breastfeeding the babies. Meanwhile, a resident doctor from the department has been diagnosed with Covid-19 on Friday. She has been admitted in the isolation ward of the hospital. Four of her contacts have also been quarantined.