Suwon COVID-19 Confirmed Kindergarten Student's Infection Route 'Mystery'... Parents Test Negative

Screening Clinic in Suwon-si, Gyeonggi Province / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] In Suwon City, Gyeonggi Province, a child has been confirmed positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19), raising concerns as the infection route remains unidentified.

On the 14th, Suwon City announced that the child was classified as Suwon case number 108. The child showed suspected COVID-19 symptoms such as a sore throat on the 12th and visited Yeongtong-gu Public Health Center with family members. After undergoing a diagnostic test, the child tested positive the following day (the 13th).

Suwon City immediately conducted diagnostic tests on 205 students and staff at Jin-A Kindergarten in Suwon, where the child is enrolled. Except for three individuals awaiting results, the remaining 202 tested negative. The parents of the confirmed child also tested negative.

The problem lies in the inability to determine the child’s infection route.

If the three kindergarten-related individuals awaiting test results also test negative, the likelihood of infection occurring at home or kindergarten will decrease. Instead, there is a possibility that the child was exposed to the COVID-19 virus outside the kindergarten.

Meanwhile, epidemiological investigation revealed that the child had visited an art academy and a kids caf? outside the kindergarten. The city plans to collect specimens and conduct diagnostic tests on eight close contacts of the child.