Chinese coronavirus patient gives birth to boy by caesarean: ‘I just want my baby to be healthy’

Doctor wears protective suits, mask and goggles to deliver boy in Wuhan

A Chinese woman suffering from suspected coronavirus has safely given birth to a baby boy in the city at the centre of the outbreak.

Doctors decided to perform a caesarean section on the 27-year-old mother at Wuhan Union Hospital after she developed a fever and began coughing non-stop.

Zhao Yin, deputy director at the obstetrics and gynaecology department, wore two protective suits, goggles and a face mask while carrying out the hour-long operation.

“I could barely see or hear anything,” he said. “And I was soaked with sweat.”

The 3.1 kg (6.8 lb) baby boy was sent home to avoid the danger of it being exposed to the virus in hospital, according to state television.

“I just want my baby to be healthy,” the mother, identified only as Xiaoyan, told state television.

She was 37 weeks pregnant when she was suspected of being infected by the coronavirus, although her illness has not yet been confirmed as coronavirus.

Doctors said she could not get proper treatment while carrying the baby and feared her condition was deteriorating.

The coronavirus has killed at least 106 people and infected more than 4,500 across China.

Some 17 cities with more than 50 million people have been placed on lockdown, as the number of confirmed cases surged to 4,515 on Monday from 2,835 the previous day.

Cases have also been confirmed in Germany, the United States, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Nepal, France, Canada, Australia and Sri Lanka.

Additional reporting by Reuters