Son fought for his life: Father of toddler who died of COVID-19 mourns loss
SINGAPORE: A man whose toddler died of COVID-19 on Monday (Jun 27) said the last few days were “difficult” as he mourned the loss of his one-and-a-half-year-old son.
“These few days, it (has been) difficult. Today, my strong, brave son had passed on to the next world ... after fighting for his life,” Mr Farath Shba wrote in a post on LinkedIn on Monday.
“In this difficult time, I’ve chosen to spend time with my loved ones and won’t be responsive on LinkedIn or any social media for a while.
“Thanks for all the support.”
The post ended with “Zaheer Raees Ali”.
The Ministry of Health (MOH) reported on Monday that a toddler had died from encephalitis due to COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus and enterovirus infections, adding that the Singaporean boy had no other past medical history and was previously well.
The boy was the first person under the age of 12 to die of COVID-19 in Singapore.
A FATHER'S REQUEST
The toddler was taken to the children’s emergency department at KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital (KKH) on the night of Jun 21. He had a high fever and recurrent seizures, with a subsequent drop in consciousness, said MOH.
He was admitted to the children’s intensive care unit in critical condition on Jun 22 and was diagnosed with severe meningoencephalitis. This is a neurological condition that involves encephalitis or inflammation of the brain, and infection of the meninges or membranes that cover the brain.
His polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test was positive for COVID-19 as well as two other viruses – rhinovirus/enterovirus and respiratory syncytial virus.
Mr Farath wrote about his son’s worsening condition around that time in a post on LinkedIn.
He was asking for further medical assistance, saying: “The doctors are saying that his brain is swollen and there’s nothing much that (they) could’ve done to alleviate the (swelling) which is due to inflammation and to save him.”
“Can anyone get me to a neurosurgeon or a medical professional who could save my dear boy please,” he asked.
On Monday, Mr Farath wrote on LinkedIn that his "strong, brave son had passed on ... after fighting for his life".
VACCINATION RECOMMENDED FOR CHILDREN AGED 5 AND ABOVE
MOH noted that COVID-19 can result in severe disease, even in children and those without pre-existing medical conditions.
“Vaccination substantially reduces the likelihood of severe disease when one is infected,” the ministry said.
“All children aged five to 11 years are recommended to be vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty vaccine, especially children with underlying chronic medical conditions.”
MOH added that authorities will study the safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines for children under the age of five.
This comes after the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Jun 18 recommended COVID-19 vaccines for children as young as six months old.
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