MANILA—Seven children in Virac town, Catanduanes who played with medical waste found in the vicinity of their village tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.

Authorities antigen-tested the children, ages 3 to 11, after they played with used syringes disposed in the coast of Barangay Concepcion.

A woman who was seen scolding the children for playing with medical waste was also infected.

Concepcion barangay chief Anthony Arcilla said the children have been isolated, and given vitamins and medicine.

They are set to undergo RT-PCR testing on Monday.

The medical waste was first spotted along Concepcion's coast this month.

According to barangay officials, the laboratory where the waste came from claimed responsibility for the incident and apologized at a village council session.

The village council found out the laboratory representative who participated in the session tested positive for COVID-19, prompting the council members who came into contact with the laboratory representative to go into quarantine. — With a report by Aireen Perol