Two Chinese boys reportedly die within week of each other while wearing face masks in gym class

Students wearing protective face masks to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus walk in social distancing as they arrive to a high school in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, Wednesday, May 6, 2020.
Students wearing protective face masks to help curb the spread of the new coronavirus walk in social distancing as they arrive to a high school in Wuhan in central China's Hubei province, Wednesday, May 6, 2020.(AP)

Two schoolboys in China reportedly collapsed and suddenly died within a week of each other after they were forced to participate in gym class while sporting face masks.

The students, both 14 years old, were running laps as part of their schools’ required physical examination tests when they both unexpectedly dropped dead, according to Australian outlet 7News.

The pair of incidents, which occurred just six days apart, have prompted calls to cancel the term’s running exams amid coronavirus concerns and possible breathing difficulties brought on by the face masks — which are required to be worn by many governments worldwide in a bid to slow the illness’ spread.

One of the teens had only just begun the physical exam when he collapsed on April 24 at Dancheng Caiyun Middle School, located in the Henan Province in central China, according to his stepfather, who was identified as Mr. Li.

“It happened within two to three minutes during his PE class. He was wearing a mask while lapping the running track, then he suddenly fell backwards and hit his head on the ground,” Li told 7News.

His death certificate listed the cause as sudden cardiac arrest, but no autopsy was performed. Li believes the mask his son had been required to wear played a factor in his tragic passing.

“It was sunny and their PE class was in the afternoon when it was at least 20 degrees Celsius. It couldn’t have been comfortable running."


The student had only just returned to school four days earlier — the first time children have been allowed back in their classrooms since they were shuttered by the Chinese government in January.


His funeral was held on April 30, the same day a second boy died under similar circumstances at Xiangjun Future Experimental School in Changsha, the capital of central China’s Hunan province. He was reportedly participating in a 1,000 meter running exam and wearing an N95 mask when he dropped dead on the track.


China’s major cities, including Wuhan — the original epicenter for coronavirus — have been gradually returning to normal in recent days. However, most foreigners are still banned from entering the nation.


Ahead of their reopening, many schools in China have spaced out desks and organized smaller classroom sizes to protect against COVID-19. In addition to face masks, students are also required to have their temperatures checked and those with results that are too high are not allowed in the building.

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