Department of Health, DOH, confirmed that the number of infants below one year old who have been infected with COVID-19 in the Philippines was at 25. “Among these 25, anim na ‘yung namatay and others have recovered,” Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said. The youngest infected was a nine-day-old baby from Central Visayas. 6 have died, while the rest are now recovering.

According to a report in 24 Oras, on wednesday, two newborns at the Dr. Jose Fabella Memorial Hospital in Manila tested positive on COVID-19. “On delivery at birth, medyo hirap silang huminga. Medyo malalim ang paghinga kaya kinakailangan ng oxygen, ‘yung isa, kinakailangan na ma-intubate,” Dr. Maria Lourdes Imperial said. “Walang ibang exposure, expect na suspect and mother dahil nag-fever sila during labor and a few days prior to admission,” she added.

It is said that both babies have shown signs of pneumonia upon birth and fortunately, both are stable as of now.

Health Undersecretary Maria Rosario Vergeire said that there is still no evidence that infected pregnant women can pass the virus to their babies. “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,” Vergeire said. “Most of these cases ay nakukuha paglabas ng bata ay baka doon nakukuha,”

“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,” said Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, WHO Representative in the Philippines. WHO also added that the virus should not hinder the mothers to perform essential care for their newborns.