W/R: Newborn baby of woman with COVID-19 tests negative for virus

The baby born to a woman who tested positive for COVID-19 in the Western Region has tested negative for the virus.

The woman with COVID-19 delivered the baby through a cesarean section about two weeks ago.

Dr. Joseph Darko, who led the team of doctors to deliver the woman of the baby at the Tarkwa Apinto Government hospital said the mother has subsequently tested negative and awaiting another negative test to be declared recovered from COVID-19.

“About two weeks ago we successfully delivered a baby to a COVID-19 expectant mother of a handsome baby boy. Soon afterwards we took the sample of the baby and sent to the lab to be tested for SARS-CoV2. The good news is that the result came in this morning and the baby tested negative,” Dr. Joseph Darko said.

“The better news is that the mom’s sample that was taken a couple of days after the surgery also come out negative. We are awaiting a second sample that was taken some days back to also test negative so that we can declare the mom as having fully recovered from COVID-19,” Dr. Joseph Darko added.

This is the first case of a newborn baby to a COVID-19 mother in Ghana hence a lot of public anxiety of the test result of the neonate.

Globally, there is yet to be full consensus on the transmission of COVID-19 infection between a pregnant woman and her baby.

The World Health Organization (WHO) states that the mother and baby can share the same room and breastfeeding can be done while following strict hand and respiratory hygiene.

However, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that mother-to-child transmission of coronavirus during pregnancy is unlikely, but after birth, a newborn is susceptible to person-to-person spread.

CDC states that the family members and doctors should take a call on breastfeeding.

A Chinese expert consensus, however, states that if the mother is positive, she should be quarantined, the neonate should be isolated and breastfeeding should be avoided due to the chances of the mother faltering on ensuring strict hygiene protocols.

Source: citinewsroom.com