A 1-day-old baby has reportedly died from complications related to COVID-19 in Louisiana, an East Baton Rouge coroner told the media Monday.
East Baton Rouge Parish Coroner Beau Clark said the 1-day-old girl died after her mother arrived to the medical center with what appeared to be COVID-19 symptoms April 1, according to a news conference posted on Facebook. The mother showed symptoms such as shortness of breath and a fever. She was later diagnosed with COVID-19.
The mother went into pre-term labor and delivered her daughter prematurely at 22 weeks. The baby did not survive, according to Clark. The child has not tested positive for COVID-19, but Clark and other epidemiologists have determined due to the mother’s diagnosis the infant’s death would be considered a “COVID-19 death.”
“This is an incredibly sad case. It is the first case that I know of here in Louisiana. However, in speaking to other experts from around the country, we know there are similar to this in the United States,” Clark said Monday. “Really brings up a strong point that we should all really pay attention to the quarantine, pay attention to the stay-at-home orders -- to the social distancing and the isolation.”
As of Monday morning, more than 475 people have died from the virus in Louisiana, and there are more than 14,860 cases across the state. According to one study, Louisiana is experiencing the fastest growth in new cases in the world. Gov. John Bel Edwards said recently the current trajectory of case growth in Louisiana was similar to those in Spain and Italy.
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