Punjab: 17 Covid positive women give birth to babies at Ludhiana hospital; all infants 'Covid negative'

LUDHIANA: Dr Malwinder Mala, senior medical officer of Mother Child Hospital (MCH) in Punjab's Ludhiana district, on Saturday said that 17 Covid positive pregnant women have successfully given birth to babies.
She added, despite the fact that a large number of Covid positive cases are reported in the district, the team of doctors at MCH Ludhiana has been carrying out deliveries successfully.
Only one pregnant woman had some medical complications and by the time they reached the MCH, the baby had already passed away. At present, 11 more Covid positive pregnant women have been admitted in the Isolation Centre set up in the Civil Hospital and proper care is being given to them.
One delivery was carried out in May 2020, six in June and eight in July 2020. She said that these included seven normal deliveries while 11 were cesarean (c-section). She said that none of the newborn babies had placental infection and were Covid negative.
There is a misconception in people that babies born of Covid positive mothers would also be Covid positive, she said, adding, that no such case has been reported in Ludhiana district at present as proper care of both the mother as well as the newborn baby is kept.
Deputy commissioner Varinder Kumar Sharma said that the Captain Amarinder Singh-led Punjab government is committed to providing best healthcare to the Covid positive patients and sincere efforts are being made to make Mission Fateh successful.
He urged the residents to not panic when they test positive and urged them to get themselves tested immediately after they feel symptoms.