A pregnant woman who recovered from Ebola gives birth to a bouncing baby, the first born to a mother who is a survivor, which is a welcome sight in the second deadliest outbreak.
Health ministry officials of the disease-stricken country announced the good news on Jan. 10 of the birth of Baby Sylvana who is just 4 days old and is without Ebola. The photo shared showed the bundle of joy clad in a red sweater yawning while being cradled by her survivor mom.
First Ebola-Free Baby From A Survivor
The health ministry considered the event rare as the mom, who contracted the life-threatening disease last month, was the first to have given born to an Ebola-free child after she recovered in this outbreak. However, in the past epidemic, there are other infants born to survivors as well.
The virus-free baby was born on Jan. 6 in Beni, where efforts of health workers to contain the Ebola outbreak had been trampled by occasional clashes. The rebel attacks added to the concerns of government officials, who now put the Ebola cases at 628, 580 of which were confirmed.
The Ebola outbreak had also claimed the lives of more than 300 people, while over 57,000 received experimental vaccines. Despite the harrowing numbers, the health ministry tries to push for positivity by underlining their successes.
Youngest Ebola Survivor
Last month, Baby Benedicte became the youngest Ebola survivor who was admitted to a health facility in Congo when she was just 6 days old. The infant was touted as the "young miracle," whose mother died in childbirth on Oct. 31.
"This is my first child. I truly don't want to lose her. She is my hope," the father of the baby survivor said.
Health officials have raised concerns over the number of children infected by Ebola, as well as those orphaned. UNICEF said one-third of the cases were children.
