Long Island Infant Youngest Coronavirus Patient In US

MINEOLA, NY — A 3-week-old infant from Long Island became the youngest person in the United States to be diagnosed with coronavirus. Fox News reported Thursday the infant was recently treated at NYU Winthrop Hospital in Mineola for several days. The baby has since been released and is recuperating at home.

It is not known how the infant contracted the virus or if an underlying health condition made him or her more susceptible to COVID-19.

"Sorry, but due to HIPAA, I can't comment on patients," Anne Kazel-Wilcox, a spokesperson for the hospital, told Patch.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention maintains that older adults and people who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease are most risk for severe cases of the virus.

"Based on available evidence, children do not appear to be at higher risk for COVID-19 than adults," the CDC says. "While some children and infants have been sick with COVID-19, adults make up most of the known cases to date."

The symptoms of COVID-19 are similar in children and adults. However, children confirmed with the virus have generally presented with mild symptoms, health experts said. Reported symptoms in children include cold-like symptoms, such as fever, runny nose and cough. Vomiting and diarrhea have also been reported.

"It’s not known yet whether some children may be at higher risk for severe illness, for example, children with underlying medical conditions and special healthcare needs," CDC officials said. " There is more to learn about how the disease impacts children."

On Tuesday, a Los Angeles child became the youngest person in the country to die of coronavirus. Officials did not release additional details about the child, and it is unclear if the youth suffered from underlying health problems.

The CDC said in a report last week that less than 1 percent of coronavirus cases in the U.S. have involved people age 19 or younger so far.

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