Stacey Barry has a warning for parents after her precious baby girl picked up a lethal virus at just a few weeks old
05:00, 31 Jan 2026Updated 07:25, 31 Jan 2026
Baby Olivia Barry became dangerously ill after contracting the HSV virus early in her life
A Merseyside mum has delivered a warning after her newborn baby was infected with a lethal virus just weeks into her life. Stacey Barry, from Wirral, gave birth to Olivia just before Christmas. But just days into her new life, Olivia started to develop a rash on her face. After seeking medical advice, Stacey and her family rushed Olivia into hospital where it was touch and go whether or not she would survive.
Olivia had been transmitted the HSV virus, which is a rare but severe and potentially fatal infection in infants under six weeks old. It is usually passed to babies via carriers of the virus, often through active cold sores.
Speaking about how Olivia’s symptoms suddenly developed, Stacey, 38, told the ECHO: “Olivia was born just before Christmas, but by New Year’s Eve we started to notice a rash on her face. We assumed she had scratched her nose and when it developed into more of a rash we thought it was just a milk rash like most babies get.”
But as the images Stacey has shared with us show, the rash continued to develop. Having sent the pictures to her GP she was advised to immediately take Olivia to Arrowe Park Hospital for fears this could be HSV.
Baby Olivia Barry became dangerously ill after contracting the HSV virus early in her life
Stacey added: “The hospital were amazing, they did everything right away, we were in a private room within minutes and a doctor saw us very quickly. We were told by a senior doctor that this could reach her brain and affect her organs. He told us what a fast acting virus this was.
“He told us he wanted to get a canula in and start treatment immediately. Between my GP and Arrowe Park, they saved her life, I can’t fault them.”
In a traumatic period for little Olivia, who weighed only five pounds and four ounces when she was born, she endured seven lumbar punctures and was also transferred to Alder Hey Children’s Hospital for further treatment.
Thankfully, the quick actions of medical professionals and Olivia’s fighting spirit and excellent response to treatment meant that the worst impacts of the virus were avoided and she quickly started to recover.
Her skin has now completely cleared up and she is back home with her family, including mum, dad and her older sister Sophia.
Stacey said: “She is an absolute warrior and is doing absolutely amazing now. We are still on the books but she has been discharged as she is doing really well. But I am so nervous, wondering about whatever milk spot she gets. We are obviously on edge but she is absolutely thriving now and it’s amazing to see.”
Now Stacey wants to warn other families with new born babies about the serious dangers of HSV as she doesn’t want anyone else to experience the terror that her family did after Olivia fell ill.
Baby Olivia Barry became dangerously ill after contracting the HSV virus early in her life
She told the ECHO: “From what we were told it is someone who carries the virus with a cold sore. It doesn’t necessarily need to come from a cold sore directly, but if someone has a cold sore that is active and has touched their face and then touched the baby, it can be passed that way.
“It is a really fast-acting virus, as soon as it touches the baby it goes straight through their immune system and that’s why they were worried about her organs and her brain.
She added: “If you know someone who carries this virus but doesn’t show symptoms, or anyone who has it at all, just ask them to stay away and parents, don’t let people kiss your baby and be really careful of how many people cuddle your baby in those early months because this is lethal.
“I would rather be rude to someone and they leave my house than go through this, because that could save a baby’s life. We just want to spread that message.”