New born in London becomes youngest coronavirus victim

PTI photo

London [UK]: A newborn in north-west London has become the youngest ever victim of the deadly coronavirus pandemic that has spread to every continent across the globe, apart from Antarctica, and infected more than 140,000 people with over 5,000 deaths. 

The mother of the newborn rushed to the North Middlesex University Hospital days before giving birth over fears she had contracted pneumonia, The Sun reported Friday. Her coronavirus test came back positive only after she had given birth; her baby was tested minutes later.

They are being treated at separate hospitals as health care professionals investigate whether the baby contracted the illness while in the womb or after birth, the outlet said. 

The baby remains at the hospital while the mum has been moved to a specialist infections hospital. Back in early February, another infected mother in China gave birth to a baby who was also confirmed to be infected with the virus, according to British media reports.

London`s cases are steadily rising, with 136 people being treated for the killer bug in the capital. Scotland also saw its first coronavirus death, after an older patient with pre-existing health conditions died.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the outbreak a global pandemic as more than 140,000 people have been diagnosed with the virus across 114 countries. More than 5,000 people have died - around 3,000 of them in China - after contracting COVID-19 across the globe.

WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the medical body has "rung the alarm bell loud and clear."The Trump administration has further banned Britains from travelling to the United States as part of his efforts to stop the spread of the infection as Europe has now become the new "epicentre" of the pandemic, according to WHO.