Singaporean toddler aged 18 months dies of Covid-19; first death of child under 12: MOH
Singapore on Monday (June 27) reported the first death of a Covid-19 patient below the age of 12.S
In a news release, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that the child is an 18-month-old Singaporean boy who died on Monday.
The cause of death is encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) due to Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus and enterovirus infections.
MOH said that the patient had no other past medical history and “was previously well”.
The respiratory syncytial virus is a common virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Those infected by the enterovirus, also a common virus, may have symptoms such as fever, runny nose, sneezing, cough, skin rash, mouth blisters and body aches.
MOH added that the boy was taken to the emergency department for children at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) on the night of June 21. He had high fever and recurrent seizures, with a subsequent drop in consciousness.
He was admitted to the children’s intensive care unit in critical condition the next day, and was diagnosed with severe meningoencephalitis, a neurological condition where the brain and the layers of thin tissue that cover it are inflamed.
