A few-months-old baby from Illinois has died after being diagnosed with coronavirus, believed to be the youngest person to die of the virus.
According to Mail Online, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the Illinois Public Health Director, stated:
“There has never been a case of COVID-19 death in an infant. If you haven’t been paying attention, maybe this is your wake-up call.”
By March 30, the total cases of people tested positive for the virus in Illinois are 4,596. The infant was among 13 new death reports, which currently has a coronavirus death toll of 66. Among the deaths is an employee at the Department of Human Services.
On March 28, during a press conference, Governor Jay Pritzker conceded:
“Upon hearing it, I admit I was shaken. We should grieve with our family of state employees, with the many people we’ve already lost to this virus, young and old.”
At present, Illinois is under quarantine, having all non-essential business and travel banned.
The isolation is mandatory, due to the high risk of death and severe illness from coronavirus in the states. McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago will serve as Illinois’ first field hospital.
Worldwide, children have made up a small fraction of COVID-19 cases. Sadly, this case isn’t the only one of a baby dying from the disease. Earlier this month, in a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine, Chinese researchers reported the death of a 10-month-old diagnosed with coronavirus.
Another research published in the journal Pediatrics provides details for 2,100 infected children in China, reporting the death of a 14-year-old.
In New York, a three-week-old baby was identified as the youngest patient in the U.S. to test positive for coronavirus.
The infant was hospitalized at NYU Winthrop Hospital on Long Island in Mineola for several days. Currently, the baby is recuperating at home, according to Fox News.
Experts are warning that children are not immune to coronavirus. Therefore, parents need to be protecting them from potential exposure. In fact, the youngest confirmed case of COVID-19 was a newborn baby in China, testing positive only 30 hours after birth.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are certain that while some children and infants have been infected with coronavirus, most of the known cases are of adults. That’s why specialists, medics, and authorities are urging people to follow the stay-at-home order and practice social distancing while being outside.
Lt. Gen. Todd Semonite, the Army Corps of Engineers’ commander, told reporters on March 27, that the corps is setting up beds to accommodate about 3,000 patients at the convention center. The center will be ready by April 24. Governor Pritzker states:
“We’re not waiting of the worst. We’re preparing ourselves for the worst.”
Moreover, the educational system in Illinois is also undergoing significant changes. The Illinois State Board of Education has set new guidelines for schools, such as remote learning in an online or non-digital form. Their goal is to engage students while protecting them from possible exposure to the virus.
Originally, Pritzker ordered schools closed through March. Now, the order has been extended at least until April 7. Additionally, Chicago Public Schools suspended in-person classes at least through April 20. The exact reopening date is still unknown.
