Six babies have died in the past two weeks. News4’s Jackie Bensen talks with the Director of D.C.’s Department of Health about what action is being taken to prevent future deaths.
D.C. health officials say the deaths of six infants during the past two weeks has led them to speed up a prevention campaign.
According to the Director of the D.C. Department of Health Dr. Joxel Garcia, the agency usually sees 1.5 infant deaths during an average week. Of the six reported recently, two are believed to be due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and two others are results of complications from premature births.
"These are preventable deaths," Garcia said. "When a baby dies from a genetic disease, that's something that we cannot prevent. But prematurity, and [SIDS], which are significant in the D.C. area especially in the African American population, this is something we can really curtail."
Two other deaths remain under investigation.
