Plight of women with COVID19 giving birth in Peru

Before she gave birth in Peru's largest maternity hospital, María Alvarez closed her eyes and made one request through her face mask.

"Where's my husband,'' she said. "I need him. I need him."

But baby's far, Marco Martínez, had died a month before, from vel coronavirus.

Alvarez, who had an asymptomatic case of virus, gave birth to her first child, a daughter, in a special ward for mors with COVID-19.

Peru's National Perinatal and Maternal Institute has dedicated about half its facilities to care for infected pregnant women.

Between April and start of August, more than 2,000 infected patients gave birth re, with 120 newborns testing positive.

One in four people in Peru's capital of 10 million people could be infected with coronavirus, according to a study published by health authorities in July, with more than 483,000 confirmed infected across country of 32 million and more than 21,000 dead.

Despite wearing personal protective equipment and taking or measures to avoid infection, 400 of 2,000 workers in institute have also been infected, said its director, Enrique Guevara.

institute has barred partners or or relatives from attending births, and pregnant women are moved through hospital in wheeled beds protected by transparent covers in efforts to stop virus from spreading.

Martínez returned to Peru in vember after five years working in an electronics store in Chile.

Alvarez became pregnant, and after coronavirus hit Peru, both went to work for a friend sewing face masks.

Martínez became ill and died in June. Alvarez tested positive for COVID-19, but never experienced any symptoms.

She felt contractions on July 29, and rushed to hospital with a set of blue clothing for boy that doctors had said was coming.

To her surprise, she gave birth to a girl.

After giving birth, as 24-year-old recovered in her room in isolation, she said she had still t decided what to name her daughter.

Although mourning for her late husband, Alvarez said she had to keep fighting on.

"For w, I have ar reason (to live and fight), one reason for my daughter and for myself."