The head of a daycare center in Anyang, Gyeonggi Province, taught children for more than a month even after being diagnosed with suspected tuberculosis. A month later, the director was confirmed, and an epidemiological investigation determined that four out of 18 children were 'positive' of latent tuberculosis. Among the children tested positive are 23-month-old infants.
Latent tuberculosis is a stage in which the patient has tuberculosis bacteria in his or her body, but has not yet developed into activity. Some of the latent TB patients are likely to develop active tuberculosis over their lifetime. It is known that latent tuberculosis has a greater risk of developing into activity, especially in children with lower immunity than adults.
■ "Every time I'm medicated, I'm asleep"...Parents' Rage
The reporters met with eight parents at the daycare center yesterday (25th). The mother of a three-year-old boy who tested positive for latent tuberculosis said, "My child gets sick just by looking at the medicine bottle," adding, "I'm upset to think about repeating the process for nine months when I spit it out every morning." The children who have tested positive should take tuberculosis medicine for nine months and watch the progress.
Parents agreed that the director's attitude toward dealing with the 'impeachment situation' was inappropriate. Another confirmed Won-ah's father said, "When the director first announced the confirmed tuberculosis, the confirmed person hid it as if he were a different teacher, not himself," and added, "When the child was diagnosed positive for latent tuberculosis, he urged her to pay tuition."
■ Suspected pulmonary tuberculosis...a director who came to work for a month.
After checking with Anyang City, the head of the daycare center in question was diagnosed with suspected tuberculosis at a hospital in Anyang on the 7th of last month. The director, who was examined again at another hospital in Seoul on the same day, was told that it was not tuberculosis this time. Eventually, the director underwent a thorough examination including a gab examination and an endoscope, and returned to the daycare center for a month or so waiting for the results.
On the 10th of this month, the director was confirmed to have tuberculosis. The director has not only been in charge of the overall work at daycare centers, but also served as a "0 and a half" homeroom teacher with infants under 24 months old. All 0-and-a-half-year-old infants had negative voices in the first test, but they had to take medicine for two months to prevent possible infection.
Currently, nine out of 18 children have left the daycare center, leaving only half of them. The director is currently not at the daycare center, and he is not being contacted by parents. Reporters also called several times to hear the director's position, but could not be reached.
■ Normal operation of daycare centers...Anyang City "Reviewing the Corrective Order"
Under the Infant Care Act, the director of a daycare center should immediately take a leave of absence or dismiss a suspected child care teacher or employee who is found to have contracted an infectious disease. Anyang City Hall said it is considering issuing a correction order to daycare centers, referring to the opinions of doctors at the two hospitals who conducted the director's tuberculosis test and related laws.
The news following the outbreak of food poisoning in Ansan kindergarten at a time when corona 19 raised awareness of the spread of the epidemic, reminds us of the responsibilities of those in charge of child care. It seems more necessary than ever for adults to be responsible for their children's health