A newborn, just 45 days from birth near the virus-hit city of Daegu, tested positive for COVID-19, becoming the youngest patient in the country, health authorities said Sunday.

In the baby’s family, the father was the first to be diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday. The baby and mother tested positive Saturday. The baby, born on Jan. 15, had been staying with the mother at the grandparents’ house. The mother was recovering from giving birth there.

The baby and mother were placed in quarantine at home, since the baby faced potential infection of other diseases at a hospital. The two will be provided hospital care if their conditions worsen, and medical staff will be provided with guidelines to treat newborns infected with COVID-19, health authorities said.

By Choi Si-young (siyoungchoi@heraldcorp.com)