A woman in Belgium who was diagnosed with coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has given birth to a healthy baby girl and is now taking care of her while wearing a protective mask.
In a report by Reuters, Amandine tested positive for COVID-19 before her caesarean section last April 23. She said she has pre-existing health conditions, but she did not show any symptoms for the virus.
“They told me they would test me for COVID-19 and I thought it would be negative. The next day, my gynecologist called me to tell me that it was positive, I nearly fell off my chair,” Reuters quoted Amandine as saying.
READ ALSO: Newborn baby in Cebu City contracts COVID-19
She said she was afraid for her daughter and that after the procedure, she only saw her for two minutes. Amandine added that she was then moved to a surgery unit in the hospital to lessen the risk of spreading the disease. Even her other two kids cannot visit her due to her infection with COVID-19.
Now, she said she is taking care of her while wearing a medical mask. “We count our lucky stars and hope things will go well for her,” Amandine said in an interview with Reuters. The baby, her doctors said, is yet to be tested for COVID-19.
While new mothers infected with the disease are afraid to nurse their newborns, the World Health Organization urged them to breastfeed their babies as usual—provided they observe strict measures—as studies show there is no evidence that COVID-19 can be transmitted via breastfeeding.
READ ALSO: Pregnant nurse dies of COVID-19 but baby survives
