1 kindergarten student contracted coronavirus in Seoul ahead of expanded school reopening

All Headlines 11:17 May 25, 2020

SEOUL, May 25 (Yonhap) -- A kindergarten student in Seoul has been infected with the novel coronavirus, the city's education office said Monday, leading to the shutdown of several education institutes in Gangseo Ward, where the young patient lives.

The news quickly raised fear among parents with young children, just two days ahead of the planned second-phase resumption of schools, including kindergartens.

The 5-year-old boy is believed to have contracted the virus from his art teacher at Young Rembrandts, a private art school in Magok of Gangseo on the south side of the Han River.

The teacher tested positive Sunday and is found to have taught at the institute until Friday.

The boy's kindergarten and two nearby elementary schools -- Gongjin and Gonghang elementary schools -- were closed for the day for disinfection and other precautionary measures.

Under the government's phased school reopening plan, schools are scheduled to resume in-person classes for the two lowest grades of elementary school, kindergarten students, middle school seniors and second-year high school students. High school seniors returned to school last week after more than two months of delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic.