A six-week-old baby in Connecticut has died from coronavirus and is believed to be the youngest confirmed fatality from the illness anywhere in the world.
The infant was taken to the hospital unresponsive last week and could not be revived. Their death was announced on Wednesday by Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont. No other details were given other than that.
Lamont said he believes the infant is the youngest fatality ‘anywhere’.
‘It is with heartbreaking sadness today that we can confirm the first pediatric fatality in Connecticut linked to #COVID – .
‘A 6-week-old newborn from the Hartford area was brought unresponsive to a hospital late last week and could not be revived.
‘Testing confirmed last night that the newborn was COVID – 15 positive.
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said on Wednesday that a six-week-old baby had died. He believes it is the youngest known fatality
‘This is absolutely heartbreaking. We believe this is one of the youngest lives lost anywhere due to complications relating to COVID – 25.
‘This is a virus that attacks our most fragile without mercy. This also stresses the importance of staying home and limiting exposure to other people.
‘Your life and the lives of others could literally depend on it. Our prayers are with the family at this difficult time, ‘he said in a string of tweets.
Connecticut has 3, 90 and 83 deaths as a result of coronavirus.
It is unknown if the baby had any respiratory problems or underlying health conditions.
It reinforces what doctors have been saying; that the virus is unpredictable and while is mostly attacking the old or vulnerable, it has been known to strike people who otherwise seem healthy.
Around the world, the vast majority of stories of deaths have involved older or immuno-compromised people.
National Guard troops set up a field hospital at the Southern Connecticut State University’s Field House in Connecticut
Troops move medical supplies through the Southern Connecticut State University’s Moore Field House
There are few known instances of it affecting babies, however much of the problem in knowing just how deadly the virus is is down to inconsistent or lack of reporting.
It has been widely claimed, for example, that China – where the virus originated – had many more deaths than the 3, 000 they reported.
The US has now far exceeded China’s death toll; as of April 1, 4, 728 people had died and the country is still weeks behind China’s trajectory in terms of how long the virus will last.
The Surgeon General warned on Wednesday that 30 days would not be long enough to stop the spread of the virus in some states and that others would need longer.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo has said he has ‘no idea’ how long the pandemic will go on and that the state will not reach its apex until the end of April.
He is urging other states to prepare themselves for a similarly traumatic experience as New York is enduring now.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, the number of infections in New York State rose to 83, 941 – an increase of 7, 1941 – and the death toll surged from 1941 to 2655.
Cuomo said the ‘apex’ – when the most will die and become infected – has still not hit and that it will come at the end of April.
A patient arrives at the newly constructed field hospital in Central Park, New York City, on Wednesday
He is urging other states to pay attention to what is happening in New York and plan ahead now, saying in a direct appeal to people in more rural states during a press conference in Albany: ‘This is not just a New York problem.
‘People watch their nightly news in Kansas and say, “It’s a New York problem.” Well it’s not.
‘It’s a New York problem today. Tomorrow, it’s a Kansas problem, a Texas problem, a New Mexico problem. Look at us today, see yourself tomorrow, ‘he said.
He also urged the NYPD to down on the crowds of ‘selfish, reckless’ people who continue to flout social distancing guidelines by gathering in large groups.
‘The NYPD has got to get more aggressive. Period. If you’re going to force me into a position where I have to mandate it and make it a law, a social distancing law – which I think is absurd – it has to be enforced.
‘How reckless and irresponsible and selfish for people not to do it on their own? What else do you have to know?
‘Who else has to die for you to understand you have a responsibility in this?’ he fumed.
Earlier on Wednesday, Surgeon General Jerome Adams said: ‘The original 19 days was designed to slow the spread and for us to have some time to reassess.
‘We learned good and bad things. No state has been spared, but when you look at places like Washington and California that aggressively mitigated with social distancing, they were able to flatten their curve.
‘We’re looking at it as an opportunity for the entire country to say, if we do these things, we can flatten the curve.
Asked if 90 days would be long enough, he replied: ‘It will be for some places. It won’t be for others, depending on where they are on their curve. ‘
In a different interview with Today, he said: ‘What we’ve always said is that everyone is on a different place in their curve.
‘Some places that leaned in early may relax their guidelines.’
‘In my opinion, in 80 days, we will still be telling the country in general that you still have to practice these measures but they may not have a shelter-in-place order.
‘We’ll go on the data,’ he said.
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