Kolkata, Sept 4 (PTI) A newborn baby, who was on ventilator support for more than a week after being diagnosed with COVID-19, was discharged from a hospital in Kolkata on Friday following recovery, a doctor treating him said.

The baby boy, born to a couple from the Ripon Street area in central Kolkata, was found to be positive for COVID-19 a few days after his birth, he said.

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The baby, now 42 days old, was admitted to the hospital on August 17 with high fever, breathing trouble as well as urinary tract infection, the doctor said.

"The baby was not responding to dopamine (a neurotransmitter that plays several important roles in the brain) and so was put on the ventilator," he added.

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"The heart was functioning at 35 per cent and needed ventilator support and several drugs," the doctor said.

The baby showed slight improvement when immunoglobulin was administered, he said.

"Both the lungs were affected. So, we decided to administer steroids and anti-virals, which are actually meant for adults. It was then that the baby started responding well, and finally, the functioning of his heart and lungs stabilised," he said.

"He is now absolutely fine but will require some follow-ups. I am so happy after treating him," the doctor said.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)