Sep 10 (NHK) - A new survey shows that about 80 percent of the children who contracted the coronavirus in Japan were likely infected by family members.
The Japan Pediatric Society has created a database of coronavirus infected children from newborn to the age of 19. The data was provided by medical institutions from across the country that participated in the survey.
As of Tuesday, data on about 300 cases had been gathered.
The survey found 85 percent, or 253, of infected children improved without medical treatment, and that none had died.
Infection routes were identified in 258 cases.
Roughly 80 percent, or 198, were believed to have contracted the virus from family members.
Fathers were suspected as the main source of infections with 91 children apparently being infected by them, followed by mothers with 48 cases. In 19 other cases, both the father and the mother could have been the source of infections.
A total of 32 children were believed to have contracted the virus from people linked to kindergartens, daycare centers and schools.
Lecturer Katsuta Tomohiro of St. Marianna University School of Medicine says the number of children who contracted the virus at schools and elsewhere outside the home was relatively low. He says the data shows it is important for parents to exercise caution to not bring the virus into the home.
