Mysterious Surge in Deaths of Newborn Babies in Scotland

Officials in Scotland (https://bit.ly/383VvBz) are investigating
a mystery surge in deaths of newborn babies, the second time
the phenomenon has been reported in about six months.
The probe was started after 18 infants died in their first four
weeks of life in March, which caused the mortality rate to surpass
a set threshold and trigger an investigation, Public Health Scotland
(PHS) confirmed to local media outlets. In September 2021, 21
babies died in their first four weeks of life, similarly triggering
an investigation.
PHS appeared to rule out COVID-19 as a cause for the mysterious
deaths, noting that infections in mothers or infants “[did] not
appear to have played a role,” according to The Herald newspaper.
In September, the agency also said that COVID-19 infections “did
not appear to have played a role” in the deaths at the time.
A spokeswoman for Scotland’s Government confirmed the
investigations as well in statements to The Herald.
“We are working with PHS, the Scottish National Neonatal Network,
and the Maternity and Children Quality Improvement Collaborative
to understand any possible contributing factors to ensure we continue
to improve the care of the smallest and sickest babies in Scotland,”
the spokesperson said.
There will be individual investigations into each day as part of the
agency’s policies, which are intended to “improve approaches to the
review of adverse events, such as these, in maternity and neonatal
settings,” the statement added.
“Each of the losses reflected in the information reported is a tragedy
for those involved,” the statement said “The review processes to
identify and mitigate any contributing factors are being led by the
responsible agencies, and are ongoing. Public Health Scotland will
continue to monitor data on neonatal health outcomes to inform and
support this work.”