A four-month-old baby, who tested positive for the coronavirus, died at Kozhikode Medical College Hospital on Friday.
The baby was suffering from heart-related ailments from birth and passed away early Friday morning. Health Minister KK Shailaja confirmed that the baby had a congenital heart disease and weak lungs. The baby's last rites will be done according to COVID-19 protocol.
The child was admitted to the isolation ward at the child-and-mother care wing of the hospital. The baby's parents are natives of Manjeri in Malappuram district.
Child was not responding to treatment and ultimately succumbed to a heart attack. The child tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 on April 22, though the source of the infection has not yet been traced. A relative of the child reportedly also tested positive for coronavirus. The minister said that there could have been indirect contacts with patients. The results of an examination on the child's parents are expected to be released on Friday.
The child was shifted to the medical college from a private hospital, and the child had a heart attack at the time of admission.
Kerala's first COVID-19 death was reported on March 28 in Ernakulam district. A 69-year-old man, who had returned from Dubai, was undergoing treatment for the disease at the Kalamassery Medical College where he succumbed.
On March 31, the state recorded its second death in Thiruvananthapuram. A 68-year-old man with no travel history, having high blood pressure and suffering from numerous ailments, including kidney and thyroid-related issues succumbed. He was undergoing dialysis and was on ventilator support before he passed away at Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.
Other infant deaths in India
On April 19, a one-and-a-half-month old baby in Delhi died due to COVID-19. The same day, a 45-day-old baby boy in Telangana, who was undergoing treatment for coronavirus illness, also passed away. The infant, who had a weak immune system, was suffering from pneumonia and died at the Gandhi Hospital in Telangana on April 19.
A six-month-old baby, who was admitted at a hospital in Punjab for corrective heart surgery, was tested positive for the virus on Tuesday. She was on ventilator support and passed away on Thursday. On April 8, a 14-month-old boy who tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 died of multiple organ failure in Gujarat.