16-day-old baby youngest COVID-19 survivor in Philippines

Manila, April 30 (IANS) A 16-day-old baby in the Philippines has become the youngest patient to recover from COVID-19 in the country, the Department of Health said on Thursday.

At just five days old, Kobe Manjares was admitted to the National Children's Hospital in Manila, where he tested positive for the novel coronavirus, reports Efe news.

He was treated there for the next 11 days.

"The DOH applauds our valiant healthcare team for this feat," the Department said on its Facebook page.

The baby was discharged from hospital on Tuesday and was sent off by the medical team who treated him along with posters that read, "Kobe beats COVID", according to photos published in the local media.

Kobe was born healthy on April 12, but developed symptoms of fever and cough.

His father Ronnel Manjares said doctors told him that the infant needed to be hospitalized if he wanted his son to survive.

The authorities have not given any details about how the infant contracted the virus or about the health of the mother.

Health official Maria Rosario Vergeire in a press conference on Thursday said 25 babies under one year of age are infected with COVID-19 in the country, of which six have died while the others have recovered.

The youngest patient is a nine-day-old baby in the city of Cebu.

The Philippines has so far reported 8,212 COVID-19 cases, with 558 deaths, while 1,023 have recovered.