20-day-old child defeats COVID-19 and survives intestine surgery

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A 20-day-old baby, who was abandoned by her parents after she tested positive for COVID-19 won the battle against the viral infection and a major intestine surgery at Ranchi's Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

Speaking to Hindustan Times, Dr. Abhishek Ranjan, a surgeon at RIMS' paediatric surgery department said, "The newborn has defeated SARS-CoV-2, which causes the disease. Her Covid-19 test report came negative on Wednesday. Her intestine surgery, which was performed on Tuesday, was also successful."

He further said, "Her intestine, measuring around one-third portion of a large bowl, was removed, as it had started rotting following a rupture. Though the baby is still in the intensive care unit (ICU), she is recovering fast."

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As per reports, the baby was admitted to RIMS on August 29 by her parents, who belong to Jharkhand's Palamu district's Bishrampur block. The newborn baby was admitted to the hospital as she was suffering from necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), which means ruptures in the intestine.

Doctors of RIMS said that the newborn baby had to undergo a COVID-19 test before she could be operated upon in line with the standard operating protocols (SOPs) regarding the viral infection. Unluckily, the baby tested positive for COVID-19 on September 3 and since then her parents went missing leaving the baby abandoned.

Doctors of the RIMS pediatric department said that initially, the parents looked concerned about the baby's health condition but soon they went missing after they were informed that the baby had tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The parents could not be reached on their registered contact number as well, a doctor said.

Also Read: Four-month-old baby recovers from COVID-19 in Andhra Pradesh

With the help of local non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the hospital staff took care of the baby in the absence of her parents. However, in order to perform the surgery, the hospital required the baby's parents' permission which is when they contacted the police in order to trace them.

The girl's grandparents came to the hospital and gave their consent for the baby's critical surgical procedure when the police forced them. "The baby is doing fine. She will be released from the hospital after she recovers from the surgery," Doctor added.

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