Canadian doctors have reported two cases of congenital SARS-CoV-2 infection, including the first instance of the virus being cultivated directly from placental tissue. 

Both infants were born preterm and tested positive for COVID-19 in the first 24 and 48 hours of life but had divergent symptom presentations, providing a rare insight into the “uncommon” phenomenon. 

In the first case, the 35-year-old mother presented at 30 weeks’ gestation with a fever and sore throat, having experienced preterm labour rupture of membranes (pPROM) two weeks prior with erythromycin and betamethasone treatment. 

The doctors suspected chorioamnionitis and prescribed IV cefazolin and metronidazole, but this was discontinued when she tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 infection with mild illness.