A mother in Italy has shocked medical staff after abandoning her newborn baby girl. 

The woman and child both tested positive for coronavirus and arrived at a hospital in Italy.

While the baby was being looked after in the emergency department of the Di Cristina Hospital, the mother disappeared.

Police are now searching for her after the mother failed to answer calls from the hospital.

“Medical staff tried to contact the mother for days,” doctor Marilu Furnari told Italian news agency ANSA.

“But we were unable to reach her.

“At that point, we called the police and told them the little girl may have been abandoned.”

The mother allegedly pretended to be the baby's aunt when they arrived at the hospital.

The four-month-old child has since recovered from the virus, but police are still searching for the mother.