The Department of Health announced today a 16-day-old baby has recovered from the new coronavirus, becoming the youngest COVID-19 survivor in the country.
The baby was hospitalized at the National Children’s Hospital in Quezon City and recovered 11 days after contracting the respiratory disease.
DOh praised the medical team who took care of the infant, who now they called “Baby Survivor.”
“The DOH applauds our valiant healthcare team for this feat!” the DOH said on its Facebook page.
“We at the DOH commits to provide the needed health commodities and personal protective equipment as our health facilities accept patients of various ages,” the DOH added.
Also read: PH’s youngest COVID-19 fatality is 29-day-old baby, DOH confirms
25 babies infected, 6 died of COVID-19
The Department of Health reported 25 babies had acquired the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) of which, six have succumbed to the disease.
“Meron na tayong 25 cases ng infants or ‘yung mga less than 1 year old na naging positibo for COVID-19, and among these 25, anim na ‘yung namatay and others have recovered,” Health Undersecretary Ma. Rosario Vergeire said in a virtual press briefing on Thursday.
(We have recorded 25 cases of infants or those who are less than one year old who tested positive for COVID-19. Among these 25, six died, and others have recovered.)
Vergeire said the youngest COVID-19 patient in the Philippines now is a 9-day-old newborn in Cebu.
“Aming vineverify ‘yung accuracy ng data na meron tayo pero ‘yan ‘yung pinakabata galing sa epidemiology bureau namin,” she added.
(We are verifying the accuracy of the data but that is the youngest, according to our epidemiology bureau.)
According to the DOH undersecretary, there is still no evidence that pregnant women can transmit the virus “vertically” to their babies.
WHO earlier said it still does not know if a pregnant woman with COVID-19 can pass the virus to her fetus or baby during pregnancy or delivery.
Vergeire said infants might have most likely acquired the new coronavirus after they were born.
She added there is also no proof yet that the SARS-CoV-2 can be passed by breastfeeding from an infected mother. To date, the virus has not been found in samples of amniotic fluid or breastmilk.
As of this posting, the country recorded 8,212 cases, 558 deaths, and 1,023 recoveries.