Woman from red zone village in Ladakh delivers baby under quarantine

A 30-year-old woman hailing from a remote Kargil village, which was declared a red zone to prevent the spread of coronavirus, delivered a baby boy under quarantine in the Union Territory of Ladakh, a senior government official said on Wednesday.

Both the mother, who is from Sankoo village, and her child are in good health, said Kargil District Development Commissioner Baseer-ul-Haq Choudhary. Ladakh recorded a total of 13 positive cases, including two from Sankoo village. While three of the patients recovered from the disease, the rest are in stable condition.

"Sankoo was covered under containment or red zone to prevent the spread of the coronavirus and accordingly 34 inhabitants, including the woman in her final stages of pregnancy, who came in close contact with two positive patients were immediately shifted to a quarantine facility in Kargil town as a precautionary measure," Choudhary told PTI over phone.

The asymptomatic pregnant woman along with others was subjected to coronavirus test which fortunately came negative for all of them, he said.

"The woman was shifted from the quarantine facility to Kargil district hospital on Saturday after she developed labour pain and a team of doctors along with nurses was formed to handle the case efficiently," Choudhary said. The mother and child have been shifted to their house in Sankoo village as normal delivery took place during her 14-day quarantine period, which ended last weekend, the official said.

He hailed the efforts of all those involved for their professionalism and dedication, and was all praise for a hospital worker, Fatima from Pushkum, who remained with the woman and took care of her child after the delivery at a time when she was left alone due to the prevailing virus scare. Hospital officials said a team of doctors and the nursing staff ensured the safe delivery of the baby under strict protocols for COVID-19 precautions.

The volunteers of influential Islamia School Kargil, a socio-religious institution, also came forward to fulfill all the requirements of the woman and her newborn, including clothing and food, amid the ongoing lockdown. Choudhary said the woman was advised to remain under quarantine at her home for the time being and strictly follow "stay home - stay safe" mantra against the deadly infection.

A local volunteer affiliated with Islamia School, Liaqat Ali from Baroo, lauded the efforts of the district development commissioner, doctors, nurses and the volunteers for the first successful delivery under quarantine.

"We went to the hospital to give confidence to the mother and the girl who was taking care of her round-the-clock. We arranged the necessary items including the traditional food which we usually give to the lactating mother besides clothes for the baby," Ali said. 

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