A New Taipei woman in hospital with COVID-19 who was roughly 30 weeks pregnant died early Saturday, hours after the death of her premature baby the previous day following an emergency Caesarean section and failed attempts by doctors to resuscitate the infant, according to health officials.
A preliminary investigation showed that the woman died from acute pulmonary embolism, Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) official and Centers for Disease Control Deputy Director-General Lo Yi-chun (???) said at a daily press briefing.
There is a likelihood that her death could also be linked to COVID-19, although no clear conclusion can be drawn without further analysis, Lo said.
The Far Eastern Memorial Hospital in Banqiao District said the woman, who tested COVID positive at the hospital, had been admitted to a specialized care unit on Wednesday after coming down with a high fever.
The patient was immediately given antiviral drugs and medication to prevent a possible miscarriage, the hospital said.
However, her fever continued to persist and on Friday she lost consciousness as her health rapidly deteriorated.
Doctors performed an emergency C-section to try to save the child, but they were unable to resuscitate the baby, Lo said, adding that the mother subsequently died early Saturday.
At the CECC press briefing, Lo revealed that the woman had suffered from chronic diseases including asthma and anemia, and that she had not returned home after testing positive for COVID-19 at the hospital on Wednesday.
According to health officials, as the woman was considered to be part of a high-risk group, she was immediately treated with the antiviral remdesivir, an intravenous drug given mostly to seriously ill COVID-19 patients.
Under current CECC guidelines, people with COVID-19 in the following groups will be admitted to the hospital: individuals classified as having moderate or severe cases of COVID-19, aged 80 or above, those 36 weeks pregnant or over, infants under 3 months old who have a fever, and infants 3-12 months old with a fever of over 39 degrees Celsius.
However, Lo said others from outside these groups, such as the woman who died Saturday, may still be hospitalized based on risk factors and symptoms as assessed by a physician.
Source: Focus Taiwan News Channel