BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Mercy Hospital President Bruce Peters said the hospital is currently investigating the possibility of a newborn in the intensive care unit with COVID-19.
During the Dignity Health roundtable Wednesday, Peters said the hospital began looking into the case after the infant was delivered while the mother was positive for COVID-19. Peters said the infant is in the NICU being tested for COVID-19. Peters said Mercy has seen a number of delivering mothers with COVID-19 and that opens up the potential for the infants to be exposed to it.
Ken Keller, President of Memorial Hospital said they've seen a similar situation among deliveries at their hospital.
Keller and Peters both said this is not something that happens often, but can occur.
According to the Center for Disease Control, "Most newborns who tested positive for COVID-19 had mild or no symptoms and recovered. However, there are a few reports of newborns with severe COVID-19 illness."
The CDC says that right now, it is unknown if newborns who test positive for COVID-19 after birth got the virus before, during, or after delivery.
