Dozens of kids in Brussels have been sent to quarantine after a couple dropped their child at a local daycare despite knowing he could be infected with the new coronavirus.
Authorities in the Brussels municipality of Jette said that the parents had dropped off their child at the local public-run daycare Kids' Holidays on Monday.
Related News
- US Covid-19 study: Small children can be extremely contagious
- Russia has world's first coronavirus vaccine, Putin says
- Belgium's increase slows down to 588 new coronavirus infections per day
Around 100 children are currently looked after at the daycare as part of its summer programme, with staff putting children in three different social bubbles in an effort to prevent infections between them.
The couple brought their child to the centre even though their child had had to be tested for the new coronavirus and despite the fact that they were still waiting to get the test's results, BX1 reports, adding that they also failed to notify staff about the potential risk.
They came back to get their kid two hours later after learning that the results of the test were positive, resulting in 35 children being sent into quarantine.
Authorities in Jette said the couple's actions were "irresponsible" and said that it had contacted the family by post.
"We will see after that what there is to be done," local councillor for sports, Benoît Gosselin, said.
The news comes as authorities in Belgium strain to contain a surge in new infections in order to be able to let the new school year start according to plan.
It also follows reports of a recent US study which found evidence that children under the age of five who were infected with the coronavirus could be extremely contagious.
The Brussels Times
