Coronavirus Australia: Mother on her baby’s struggle to survive

‘She was struggling to breathe’: Mother of five-month-old Victorian baby struck down with coronavirus opens up on her daughter’s battle to survive

  • Nikki Boyle revealed her five-month old baby is still covid positive two weeks on
  • Baby Stevie was one the youngest Australians to fall prey to coronavirus
  • She was hospitalised two weeks ago after initially being misdiagnosed 
  • Ms Boyle said it was heartbreaking to watch her child’s health deteriorate 

The mother of one of Australia’s youngest coronavirus victims has revealed her baby is still covid positive two weeks after coming down with the deadly disease. 

Nikki Boyle has opened up about the trauma of watching her five-month-old daughter deteriorate in front of her eyes after an incorrect diagnosis by health authorities.

Her daughter Stevie is on the mend after contracting the virus last month in Melbourne. 

Ms Boyle said it was heartbreaking to watch her youngest child knowing there was nothing she could do to lessen her pain.

Nikki Boyle (pictured) has opened up about the trauma of watching her five month old daughter Stevie deteriorate in front of her own eyes after an incorrect diagnosis by health authorities

‘Stevie was struggling to breathe and she had a nasty cough and just wasn’t herself,’ Boyle told 3AW radio’s Neil Mitchell.

‘She had stopped feeding, wasn’t taking any of her bottles – only drinking 30ml or 40ml at a time, whereas normally she has 180ml,’ Ms Boyle said.

‘She only had three or four wet nappies in a 24-hour period, and she was dehydrated.’

But after taking her to hospital she was told by doctors her baby was likely suffering a chest infection.

They conducted a covid swap to rule out the virus, and sent her home.

But health authorities confirmed the positive results the following day, and Stevie was rushed back to hospital in an ambulance. 

After taking Stevie to hospital Boyle was told by doctors that her baby was likely suffering a chest infection

After taking Stevie to hospital Boyle was told by doctors that her baby was likely suffering a chest infection

But health authorities confirmed Stevie had coronavirus the following day, and she was rushed back to hospital in an ambulance

But health authorities confirmed Stevie had coronavirus the following day, and she was rushed back to hospital in an ambulance 

She remained under the watchful eye of staff for two nights on a drip before being discharged.

The five-month-old had contracted coronavirus from her father after it was spread from a colleague at work.

But Stevie’s father was asymptomatic, which meant he wasn’t actually diagnosed with COVID-19 until after his baby started exhibiting symptoms. 

Even after the positive test, he was almost mistakenly sent back to work by Victoria’s Department of Health and Human Services.

‘Someone from the DHHS spoke to him for 30 seconds on the phone, asked him if he had any symptoms, he answered no to all of them, and she said “okay you’re cleared, I’ll send you a letter to say that you’ve been cleared, and you can go back to the community”,’ Ms Boyle said.

‘No more tests, you can go back into the real world tomorrow.’ 

Stevie has been discharged from hospital after her short stay and is slowly improving despite remaining positive for the virus

Stevie has been discharged from hospital after her short stay and is slowly improving despite remaining positive for the virus

This was despite him showing no symptoms of COVID-19 prior to the first positive test.

Stevie has now been discharged from hospital after her short stay and is slowly improving despite remaining positive for the virus.

Ms Boyle said it’s comforting to see her baby bounce back, but warned parents to take the virus seriously as community transmissions spread across the state.

‘She’s shown a lot of improvement … she was on the drip for a while and improved. She’s still not 100 per cent but she’s making really good progress, drinking more and not so upset … almost back to her happy self,’ Ms Boyle told the Herald Sun. 

Nikki Boyle and her family smile in a happy snap before COVID-19 struck

Nikki Boyle and her family smile in a happy snap before COVID-19 struck

Ms Boyle said it's comforting to see her baby bounce back, but warned parents to take the virus seriously as community transmissions spread across the state

Ms Boyle said it’s comforting to see her baby bounce back, but warned parents to take the virus seriously as community transmissions spread across the state

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