A couple in India have named their newborn twins Corona and Covid.
The siblings – a girl and a boy – were born in the state of Chhattisgarh on March 27, with India in a nationwide lock-down due to the coronavirus outbreak.
Their parents, Preeti and Vinay Verma, said that the names would remind them about the hardships they faced during the lock-down.
Preeti told the Press Trust of India: “The delivery happened after facing several difficulties and therefore, my husband and I wanted to make the day memorable.
“When the hospital staff also started calling the babies Corona and Covid, we finally decided to name them after the pandemic.”
According to a report on Al Jazeera, the couple explained there was more to the names. “Besides, these names are beautiful in their own, with Corona being Latin for crown,” added Vinay Verma, the father. “Also, we want the fear associated with these names to end and the public to focus on sanitation and hygiene.”
The mother added that the coronavirus is “dangerous and life-threatening”, but the COVID-19 outbreak has also made people focus on sanitation, hygiene and instilled other good habits.
According to a report, there has been a spike in confirmed coronavirus cases in the country with infections nearing 3,000 and 68 deaths.
