Autopsy: Chicago infant died of COVID-19

CHICAGO -- An autopsy has confirmed that COVID-19 infection contributed in the March death a 9-month-old Chicago boy, the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office said Wednesday.

Joseph Myles died of human coronavirus NL-63 and COVID-19 induced viral pneumonia, the medical examiner’s office said. His family reported that he had a history of cold and cough.

Myles was pronounced dead March 23 at Mercy Hospital after a family member found him unresponsive, the medical examiner’s office said.

His lung were found to be congested and firm during the autopsy, indicating a possible COVID-19 infection, but two swab tests initially came back with conflicting results, the medical examiner’s office said.

The swabs were sent along with other tissue samples to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which found coronavirus NL-63 and evidence of COVID-19 present in lung tissue, the medical examiner’s office said.