By Kirk McKoy, Los Angeles Times, April 1, 2020
Public health officials in Illinois on Saturday announced the death of an infant in Chicago who had tested positive for the coronavirus. Although the exact cause of death had not been determined as of Tuesday, it marked the first recorded death in the U.S. of an infant who had contracted the virus.
The virus is more likely to be fatal in adults, but children who have tested positive for COVID-19 also have died. Underlying health conditions increase the risk of a severe illness. Experts say the older population remains at higher risk for COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Data have shown that the oldest of those infected are more likely to be hospitalized and less likely to survive the disease. To date, the pandemic has resulted in more than 3,000 deaths in the U.S.
The number of diagnosed COVID-19 cases around the world, as of Wednesday morning, has surpassed 880,000 globally and stands at about 190,000 in the United States, according to Johns Hopkins University, meaning more people, including babies, have and will get the virus, experts say.
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