As the coronavirus continues to rage in Israel, with a record number of seriously ill patients, it is also taking a toll on pregnant women and their babies. On Motzei Shabbos a two-day-old baby born to a coronavirus patient passed away in Hadassah Ein Kerem in Jerusalem and in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah, a 33-year-old mother is fighting for her life after her baby was delivered on Friday night in an emergency C-section. She is hospitalized in the gynecology intensive care unit in critical condition, sedated and ventilated.

The baby, born in the 31st week of pregnancy at only 199 grams, is also ventilated and fighting for his life at Schneider Children’s Medical Center.

The woman, who had no preexisting medical conditions apart from her pregnancy, contracted the coronavirus while in her 7th month and began having breathing problems, which progressively worsened. She was evacuated to the hospital and after a lung X-ray was performed on Friday, it was deemed necessary to sedate and ventilate her in an attempt to save her life.

On Sunday, the woman’s husband, Eli Berg, a resident of the Ramot neighborhood of Jerusalem, spoke to the media, tearfully begging Klal Yisrael to perform good deeds for the sake of his wife and baby.

“I have five children at home,” he said. “I have a new son at the NICU at Schneider. I beg of you – in order that my baby will know his mother – anyone who hears of us and has a heart, do something good that my son will have a mother at home. If you can – one good deed. Concede to the other, don’t get angry…please, for the sake of my wife lying in the ICU.”

“I don’t wish on anyone to enter this ward – it’s chilling. I don’t wish anyone to go through such a horrible time – when your life is hanging in the balance and you don’t know what will be in the next moment. Your life can be destroyed in one moment, anything could happen.”

“I ask you again, for the refuah of my wife Rochel Naomi bas Esther Chana – say one perek of Tehillim or do one good deed.”

The woman’s name for tefillah is Rochel Naomi bas Esther Chana and the baby’s name is HaRach Hanolad ben Rochel Naomi l’refuah sheleimah b’toch shaar cholei Yisrael.

Prof. Arnon Wiznitzer, an OB-GYN at Beilinson, said on Sunday: “We have treated about 150 pregnant women since the beginning of the pandemic in March until now. This is the most serious case so far.”

Prof. Witnitzer added that that the current wave is much worse than the previous waves and there are many more seriously ill young virus patients.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)