Officials in New York are reporting that more than 30 healthcare workers were exposed to the coronavirus after delivering babies for two women who had the virus but had no symptoms.

The incident occurred at the New York-Presbyterian/Columbia University Irving Medical Center in Manhattan.  Doctors say once the women delivered their babies, the mothers’ conditions “deteriorated very quickly.” The women were then transferred to the ICU portion of the hospital were it was discovered that the women had the virus despite not initially showing any symptoms.

One of the women has been since discharged from the hospital, while the other remains under medical care. Her condition has not been released.  

Medical staff have also been monitoring the babies and say that they do not seem to have the virus at this time.

Over 30 health care workers, have also been forced to quarantine after being exposed to the women and their family members.

The hospital has since barred all “support persons” from entering maternity rooms and waiting rooms. Dr. Mary D’Alton says the policy was a difficult decision to make:

“It was not taken lightly, it was not taken by one person. It was taken by a team of us involved in multidisciplinary levels across the institution,” Dr. D’Alton said.

She continued saying that the hospital must assume that each family member who accompanied the parties were also infected even if they did not know that they were.