Kathryna Yu-Pimentel, the wife of Senator Aquilino Pimentel III, who tested positive for COVID-19, gave birth to a baby girl on Sunday, March 29, according to reports.
The baby named Maria Kathryn Helena is the senator’s first child with Kathryna. He has two sons from his previous marriage to former Bb. Pilipinas Universe Jewel Lobatan.
The senator married Kathryna last October 2018 after his marriage to Lobaton was annulled.
Katryna gave birth a week after the senator tested positive for the coronavirus disease 2019.
Instead of receiving public sympathy after his test for the new coronavirus turned out positive, the Mindanao lawmaker drew flak for allegedly breaching the protocol on COVID-19 confirmed cases.
The senator admitted accompanying his wife on the night of March 24 to Makati Medical Center (MMC) where she was scheduled for a caesarian operation the next day. He was also reported to have gone shopping at S & R, BCG branch on March 16 when in fact, he has shown symptoms of the virus on March 14.
However, the procedure was temporarily halted as Kathryna was subjected to a COVID-19 test. The senator declined to reveal in public the results of the RITM test, saying his wife is a “private citizen.”
In an interview by ABS-CBN, Kathryna refused to give details about her delivery, but described their child as “a miracle baby.”
Reports said that Kathryna was moved to an undisclosed hospital where she gave birth.
The MMC management has lambasted Pimentel for endangering particularly their health workers when he has yet to complete his 14-day quarantine.
MMC Medical Director Saturnino Javier had described Pimentel’s action as an “irresponsible and reckless” breach of protocol, as it exposed their staff to the virus and “added to the burden of a hospital trying to respond to its most competent and aggressive manner to cope with the daunting challenges of this COVID-19 outbreak.”
The senator has apologized for his action, saying that he merely wanted to accompany his pregnant wife to the hospital.
As of 4 p.m. of March 30, there are 128 new positive cases which brought to 1,546 the total confirmed cases with 42 recoveries and 78 deaths.