Infant son back with mum after COVID-19 lockdown separation

The tears of joy flowed freely as the teenage mother hugged her five-month-old son she was separated from since his birth - all because of COVID-19.

"Irfan, this is mum," said Nurhalisa Jehawae, 18, as she carried the younger of her two sons at the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex in Sadao, Songkhla, today.

Nurhalisa, who worked at a restaurant in Kajang, Selangor, Malaysia, gave birth to Irfan, a seven-month premature baby, at the Kajang Hospital on Feb 27.

However, she and her husband, Muhammad Tifyoleah, 28, both Thai nationals, had to leave their son behind for observation at the hospital to come to Thailand to renew their visa that was to have expired on March 18.

That's when the Malaysia-Thailand border was closed as a measure to check the spread of COVID-19, and the couple could not return to Kajang to fetch the baby.

Two nurses from the Kajang Hospital brought Irfan to the Sadao CIQ this morning in an ambulance, having left Kajang at 8.45 pm (Malaysian time) Wednesday.

The infant was taken straight to the Pattani Hospital for an examination and has been subjected to the COVID-19 mandatory quarantine for Thai nationals returning to the country.

"I am so happy. Finally, I am able to carry my baby for the first time after five months. My husband and I express our sincere thanks to all those who have come forward with donations to pay for the hospital bill and bring Irfan to us," Nurhalisa told Bernama.

-- BERNAMA