2-month-old baby dies from COVID-19 in Michigan
A 2-month-old baby has died from COVID-19 in Michigan, officials announced during a coronavirus briefing this week.
During the briefing, Dr. Joneigh Khaldun, chief medical executive and chief deputy director for health at the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), gave an update on the state's COVID-19 numbers. Khaldun said there are over 85,500 people in Michigan who are alive at least 30 days after the onset of their symptoms.
"And that's a good sign, but I want to be very clear: Death isn't the only outcome that matters," Khaldun said. "Some people who live need a lung transplant. Some people who live have kidney failure and end up on dialysis. And we know there's some people who have inflammation of their heart."
"And children are not spared from this disease, either," she continued. "I was so saddened to hear this week of a 2-month-old baby in Michigan who died because of COVID-19. My condolences go out to their parents and family."
Further details about the baby were not shared. CBS News has reached out to MDHHS for more information
Khaldun said that while studies show children are less likely to get severely ill from COVID-19 "they still can and they can also pass it on to others, including adults who are more likely to get severely ill from COVID-19."
"Almost 800 children across the U.S. have been diagnosed with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome, otherwise known as MIS-C, that is a disease associated with COVID-19 that can cause multiple organs to fail," Khaldun said.
At least 16 children across the U.S. have died from the rare condition, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"COVID-19 is not something to be taken lightly and the measures the governor have put in place are important," Khaldun continued. "We are fighting COVID-19 because we not only want people to live, but for people to have long lives."
Khaldun reminded people to wear masks, wash their hands and keep their distance to help slow the spread of the virus. There have been 114,692 COVID-19 cases in Michigan and 6,632 deaths, according to state data updated on Thursday.
New data out last week shows that more than 500,000 children in the U.S. have tested positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). The report said the cumulative death toll in the U.S. for children due to the coronavirus is 103. In a subset of data that was analyzed from 42 states and New York City, children were 0-0.3% of all COVID-19 deaths, and 18 states reported zero child deaths.
