Coronavirus: Newborn baby in isolation after nurse tests positive

A newborn baby is in isolation at an Alabama hospital after one of the nurses tested positive for Covid-19.

Brandon Waltman, the father of the baby girl, explained that she has been at the University of South Alabama Women's Hospital for over a month.

Mr Waltman, who lives in neighbouring state Mississippi, told NBC 15 that he went to visit his daughter on Monday night, but was told she had been put into isolation.

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"The NICU nurse manager told me that they had just been given information that a nurse that had been taking care of my daughter within the past 2 weeks had tested positive for coronavirus and, as a precaution, they were going to isolate every baby that she had come in contact with," he said.

He added that "it's rough," but "today is about pushing so some of this doesn't happen again to her or God forbid anybody else."

Mr Waltman revealed that his daughter has been tested for coronavirus and at the moment is asymptomatic, telling the the station that "she is not coughing. She's not sneezing. She is OK."

He also admitted that the checks in the hospital are not up to the standard he would expect, amid the coronavirus pandemic.

"When we go in, all they are doing is comparing our bracelet, comparing to my drivers license. They are not temperature checking, they are not screening like they are at other hospitals and that's my main concern," he said.

"Yes we are upset that Emmarie is facing this virus, but we are way more upset about the lack of procedures and safeguards that have been setup in order to keep not only our daughter, but other children and hospital staff safe as well," he added on Twitter.

USA Health said in a statement that "a USA Health employee has tested positive for Covid-19. USA Health continues to implement all state and national guidelines to ensure we protect our patients, providers and staff."

According to a tracking project hosted by Johns Hopkins University, upwards of 55,243 people have tested positive for coronavirus in the US. The death toll has reached at least 802.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recommended a two-week ban on gatherings of more than 50 people as part of the battle to contain the spread of the contagion.

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