A little girl who battled Covid-19 as a baby and thought to be Scotland's youngest coronavirus patient is doing better than ever as her first birthday celebrations approach. 

Little Peyton Maguire was just three weeks old when NHS Lanarkshire staff diagnosed her with the virus.

The tot, who was born eight weeks premature, will turn one on 26 March and her parents say she’s now thriving thanks to the fantastic care she received at University Hospital Wishaw, home to Lanarkshire’s maternity services.

READ MORE: Scotland’s youngest Covid-19 patient recovers from virus

Peyton's parents, Tracy and AJ Maguire, from Uddingston, joke that their daughter is now a “wee diva”, who loves to wave at passersby.

“She’s full of energy and we’re delighted how good her health has been since she left hospital and how well she’s doing with her developmental milestones,” said mother Tracy, 28.

The Herald:

“She’s started toddling about with the help of a walker and she said her first proper word the other day – ‘Daddy’, of course!

“She drives us daft by listening to the Baby Shark song all the time so she’s getting a Baby Shark toy for her birthday.

"One of my grans named her ‘the rainbow baby’ because of the joy she brought to us during lockdown and she’s given Peyton a lovely rainbow dress as a birthday gift.”

Peyton was delivered early by c-section after Tracy was diagnosed with pre-eclampsia, a condition that affects pregnant women, following an appointment with her community midwife.

The newborn was being cared for in an incubator in Wishaw’s neonatal unit when Tracy and AJ were told she had tested positive for Covid, despite not having any symptoms.

The Herald:

Tracy isolated in the hospital to be close to her daughter.

Meanwhile, proud father AJ, 29, said he was the "luckiest Dad and husband in the world" to see his family "so healthy and happy."

NHS Lanarkshire chief midwife Cheryl Clark said: “Happy birthday to Peyton when it comes.

"We’re delighted to see she is doing so well and has come such a long way since she was a tiny, vulnerable baby in our incubator.

"That’s a tribute to the quality of care provided by all my colleagues who looked after Peyton and her mum.”