Ethiopia: Baby Born To COVID-19 Patient Tests Negative

A four-day-old baby born to a mother infected with coronavirus in Ethiopia tested negative for the disease, officials said on Monday.

The mother who is at the Kotebe Hospital, a center dedicated to treating COVID-19 patients in the capital Addis Ababa, gave birth to a baby last Friday.

The baby was born weighing 3.1 kilograms to his 34-year-old mother and received negative results after a lab test was conducted on specimen taken from him, the Health Ministry said.

"Although little came out of research on whether the COVID-19 virus is transmitted from mother to fetus, understanding has so far showed that chances of transmission is very low," the ministry said.

Ethiopia so far recorded 582 COVID-19 patients with five deaths and 182 recoveries.

The ministry advised expectant mothers to follow all prevention rules, see their doctors for regular checkup, eat balanced diet, take sufficient rest, and deliver at health centers.

Ethiopia's Prime Minister on Sunday visited the Kotebe Hospital and he presented gifts to the mother. -