The spread of the coronavirus COVID-19 has been at the top of people’s minds. To date, there have been more than 123,000 confirmed cases of the virus, and it’s been linked to over 2200 deaths across the country. Statistics have led officials to believe this virus results in more critical cases or deaths for those over the age of 60, but that doesn’t mean other age groups are not at risk. Now, an infant is reported to have died after contracting COVID-19 – the youngest known person to die from this virus, so far.
Authorities announced March 28 that an infant who tested positive for the coronavirus has died in Chicago, Illinois.
J.B. Pritzker, the Governor of Illinois, said an investigation was underway to try and determine the cause of death of the baby. While the infant did test positive for COVID-19, officials are looking further to determine if there were unknown underlying health issues that could have contributed to the baby’s death.
The infant was under a year old, the youngest known person to die with a confirmed case of COVID-19.
"There has never before been a death associated with COVID-19 in an infant,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health. "A full investigation is underway to determine the cause of death. We must do everything we can to prevent the spread of this deadly virus. If not to protect ourselves, but to protect those around us.”
"I know how difficult this news can be ... I was shaken," Gov Pritzker said.
The Governor also reiterated that experts and data are still showing that the risk of death for children with COVID-19 is still low. But he’s hoping people will continue to take this virus seriously. Pritzker said, “If you haven’t been paying attention, maybe this is your wake-up call.”
People of all ages are suffering from COVID-19, including babies and children.
Earlier, it was reported that a 3-week-old baby had contracted coronavirus. The baby was treated at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola, out on Long Island, and required several days of hospitalization before recovering at home.
According to the Guardian, children continue to make up a “small fraction” of known cases of coronavirus worldwide. They report a letter published in the New England Journal of Medicine that said there was a death of a 10-month-old in China with COVID-19. However, the child had known medical issues, which is different than the infant death case in Illinois.
The federal government says Chicago may become one of the new hot spots for infections.
"We want to make sure the next New York knows what its situation is. We're looking at New Orleans; we're looking at Chicago; we're looking at Detroit, and we're want to make sure people are talking to each other so that if they are in a high-risk area, they are taking appropriate precautions, " U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said.
People are encouraged to continue with the measures in place to help reduce the spread of the illness.
Social distancing, washing your hands, and avoiding touching your face are all measures the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are urging people to continue following to help slow the spread of COVID-19. They are also recommending to stay home and stay away from others if you show signs of coronavirus, which includes fever, cough, and shortness of breath.