How a three-year-old with affected parents became the eighth case of COVID-19 in Ebonyi
A three-year-old child whose parents tested positive to COVID-19 in Ebonyi state has also been affected by the disease. The child was confirmed positive during a comprehensive contact tracing on the couple and other suspected cases within the communities of initially confirmed cases in the state.
The Governor of the state, Dave Umahi, who announced the result of the tests in a broadcast expressed his sympathy for the family of the three-year-old while adding that the child brought the number of confirmed cases in the state to eight.
He noted that though both parents of the child are positive too, the youngest child in the family who is one and a half years old is negative. He revealed that plans are underway to decide how to isolate the infant who is still breastfeeding from the rest of the family.
“The child is still being breastfed and doctors have appealed to her parents to isolate her so that she does not get infected. The state government has pledged to cater for the child. We urge her parents to provide a child caregiver or we provide one to take care of her,” Umahi said.
The parents of the infant, however, have refused to release her while they undergo treatment at the isolation centre.
“I want doctors to make inquiries on what to do on the matter and we will do it,” the governor declared.
The three-year-old sibling who is currently positive has been kept under care as the state continues testing for more cases.
According to Governor Umahi, about 818 contacts of confirmed cases have been tested across the Southeast zone. At the moment, 774 cases have been discharged after testing negative to COVID-19. About 378 of them were treated for other health conditions like cough and fever. Also, 37 out of the 55 interstate returnees who were quarantined at the state’s main isolation centre in Abakiliki are still awaiting their test results.
