Chongqing Medical University professors Shi Yuan and Qi Hongbo recently published a paper entitled “A contingency plan for the management of the 2019 novel coronavirus outbreak in neonatal intensive care units” in The Lancet -- the world's leading independent general medical journal -- according to university officials.

The paper, on behalf of the National Clinical Research Center for Child Health and Disorders and Pediatric Committee of Medical Association of Chinese People's Liberation Army, proposes measures in the prevention and control of coronavirus pneumonia among newborns, as well as related treatment and isolation measures.

University officials said the proposal from Chongqing medical scientists is the world’s first plan for preventing and controlling neonatal pneumonia caused by the coronavirus. 

“Neonates might get 2019-nCoV infection through close contact with virus-infected patients or virus carriers,” the scientists said, adding that newborns were more susceptible to the virus infection.

In Hubei, Zhejiang and other provinces, cases of neonatal pneumonia have occurred. The youngest one is a child diagnosed only 30 hours after birth.

Shi Yuan is currently director of the neonatal diagnosis and treatment center of the Children's Hospital of Chongqing Medical University. Qi Hongbo is the director of the obstetrics department of the First Affiliated Hospital of the University.

Officials said that the two experts both have experience in treating epidemics such as SARS -- and they deduced that newborns and pregnant women may be more easily  infected by the virus.

"There are some asymptomatic carriers of New Coronary Pneumonia, which is more dangerous for children, newborns and elderly women with severe diseases," said Shi Yuan. His team began to draft the paper on the first day of the 2020 Chinese New Year.