A male newborn who became infected with Echovirus 11 died of multiple organ failure on Monday, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said, becoming the first death of the year from enterovirus infection.
The boy was delivered in Chiayi on June 27 via Caesarean section after his mother started experiencing discomfort and persistent fever a few days before her due date, CDC Deputy Director Chuang Jen-hsiang (莊人祥) said.
“The infant began exhibiting fever and shortness of breath three days after his birth and was immediately transferred to an intensive care unit on July 4 after being diagnosed with Echovirus 11,” Chuang said.
Despite relentless efforts by doctors to treat the newborn, he died of multiple organ failure on Monday, Chuang said.
“We do not rule out the possibility that the newborn could have been infected with enterovirus during delivery or that the virus could have been passed on to him by visiting family members or relatives,” Chuang said.
Statistics compiled by the centers showed a total of 40 newborns being infected with enterovirus over the past 12 years — including 22 who had Coxsackievirus B3 virus and three with Echovirus 11.
Among them, eight died from the highly contagious disease, with the youngest only six days old, the figures showed.
Chuang urged people to observe good personal hygiene before visiting a newborn, saying that severe enterovirus infection may be rare among newborns, but has a high mortality rate.
“As mothers infected with Echovirus can transmit the virus to their babies during birth or postnatal contact, pregnant women are advised to keep close tabs on their health and that of their other children within 14 days of their due date,” Chuang said.
They must seek immediate medical attention if they experience symptoms such as fever, upper respiratory tract infection, diarrhea and sharp pains in the intercostal muscles, he added.
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