COVID-19: Critically-ill Bangladeshi Worker's Wife Gives Birth, Man Still Warded In Isolation

The wife of a Bangladeshi worker who has been identified as Singapore’s Case 42 has given birth to a son, ItsRainingRaincoats (IRR)—a local community initiative helping migrant workers here—announced Tuesday, 31 March.

The Bangladeshi worker, who has been in critical condition since testing positive for COVID-19 on 8 February, is still warded in isolation at the National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID).

Mum and baby Doing Well

On a Facebook post, IRR announced the birth of the child at 12.30am on Tuesday. 

“[The] mother and baby are doing well,” the post reads, which also requested the public to “pray for the baby” and “that he meets his father soon, happy and healthy.”

Image source: ItsRainingRaincoats / Facebook

The group previously appealed for donations of baby essentials on 9 March to which Singaporeans responded. The group said they were “blown away by the response to our post! Baby items have been pouring in and Singapore Post has so kindly offered to courier the items across to Bangladesh.”

Image source: ItsRainingRaincoats / Facebook

Bangladeshi worker’s wife: My husband is Case 42

The Bangladeshi worker, identified only as Case 42, is one of the five Bangladeshi workers who tested positive of the virus.

Speaking to the Migrant Workers’ Centre (MWC), the Bangladeshi worker’s wife said she only found out of her husband’s condition through his cousin who also works in Singapore.

“I was devastated as I could not believe what had happened. I still can’t believe this is happening,” the wife said, adding that her husband even telephoned her to warn her about the coronavirus.

According to a press release from the Ministry of Health (MOH), Case 42 is a 39 year-old male Bangladesh national who is a Singapore Work Pass holder, and has no recent travel history to China.

He is currently warded in an isolation room at NCID.

MOH said the case reported onset of symptoms on 1 February. He had sought treatment at a GP clinic on 3 February, and at Changi General Hospital (CGH) on 5 February. He went for a follow-up appointment at Bedok Polyclinic on 7 February. Thereafter admitted to the intensive care unit at CGH. Subsequent test results confirmed COVID-19 on 8 February afternoon, and he was transferred to NCID.

As of 30 March, the total number of cases of COVID-19 infection in Singapore has reached 879. 35 new cases were reported on Monday and three more clusters were identified.

According to MOH, of the 420 cases who are still in hospitals, most are stable or improving. 19 cases are in critical condition in the intensive care unit.

A total of 228 cases who are clinically well but tested positive for COVID-19 have been isolated at Concord International Hospital, Mount Elizabeth Hospital, Gleneagles Hospital and the community isolation facility at D’Resort NTUC.

228 people in Singapore have fully recovered from COVID-19. Three have died due to complications from the virus infection.