6-week-old baby dies of COVID-19 in England

LONDON: A six-week-old baby has become the youngest victim of Coronavirus in Eng

land as the official death toll across hospitals and the wider community linked to COVID19 hit 31,241 in the UK.

The baby’s death on Friday comes as Britain prepares for some easing in the strict lockdown measures in place to curb the spread of the deadly virus as it is believed that Britain is past the peak of the pandemic.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is to make a televised address on Sunday, during which he will lay out a comprehensive plan to start unlocking the economy.

However, Cabinet ministers have been warning against raising expectations beyond a modest easing of the social distancing rules in place to manage the pressure on the state-funded National Health Service (NHS).

There are some concerns that people would start flouting the stay-at-home message during a long Bank Holiday weekend to mark the 75th anniversary of the World War II Victory in Europe (VE) Day on Friday.

I’m conscious that there is a great deal of speculation about what the Prime Minister might say on Sunday when he outlines a roadmap for the future and how we will evolve the current restrictions, said UK Environment Secretary George Eustice in reference to the speech.

“But in the meantime, in spite of the sunny Bank Holiday, it is vitally important that we continue to abide by the current restrictions. Stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives, he said.

Meanwhile, Three children have now died in New York state from a possible complication from the Coronavirus involving swollen blood vessels and heart problems, Governor Andrew Cuomo said on Saturday.

At least 73 children in New York have been diagnosed with symptoms similar to Kawasaki disease a rare inflammatory condition in children and toxic shock syndrome. Most of them are toddlers and elementary-age children.

Cuomo announced two more deaths a day after discussing the death of a 5-yearold boy Thursday at a New York City hospital. He did not give information about where the two other children died, or provide their ages.

There is no proof that the virus causes the syndrome. Cuomo said the children had tested positive for COVID-19 or the antibodies but did not show the common symptoms of the virus when they were hospitalized.

This is the last thing that we need at this time, with all that is going on, with all the anxiety we have, now for parents to have to worry about whether or not their youngster was infected, Cuomo said at his daily briefing.

New York is helping develop national criteria for identifying and responding to the syndrome at the request of the Centers for Disease Control, Cuomo said.

Children elsewhere in the U.S. have also been hospitalized with the condition, which was also seen in Europe.

At least 3,000 U.S. children are diagnosed with Kawasaki disease each year. It is most common in children younger than 6 and in boys.

Symptoms include prolonged fever, severe abdominal pain and trouble breathing.

New York City transit officials said they’re providing buses for homeless people to shelter from unseasonably frigid weather this weekend during newly instituted overnight subway closures.