The Department of Health (DOH) said on Thursday that the number of infants or children below one-year-old who have been infected with coronavirus  2019 in the Philippines was now at 25.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said during her virtual conference with reporters, the country’s youngest case of COVID-19 was a nine-day-old baby from Central Visayas.

Vergeire said, “Among these 25, anim na ‘yung namatay and others have recovered.”

Based on a report on Wednesday, there are two newborns at the Dr. Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila that has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Vergeire clarified that there has still no evidence showing that infected pregnant women can pass the virus to their newborns.

Also, she said that there is still no evidence that the respiratory illness can be transmitted directly through breastfeeding,

According to Vergeire, “As to newborns, wala pa rin tayong ebidensiya that they [mothers] can transmit the disease vertically, ibig sabihin from mother to child kapag siya ay nasa sinapupunan ng nanay.”

“Most of these cases ay nakukuha paglabas ng bata ay baka doon nakukuha,” she added.

On the other hand, the United Nations agencies had said earlier that practicing essential intrapartum and newborn care or “unang yakap” and breastfeeding with precautions can help strengthen the immunity of 142,000 babies who are expected to be born in the country this month.

The COVID-19 infection should not prevent mothers from providing these essential care for their babies, as of the World Health Organization

In addition, Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative in the Philippines explained that “When performing skin-to-skin contact, breastfeeding, and any activities involving touching or being close to the baby, infected mothers must use a medical mask, wash their hands properly before and after contact with the child, and routinely clean and disinfect surfaces which the mother has touched.”

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