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By Beth Stibal |

Report: 9-Year-Old Hurt on Water Thrill Ride at Universal Orlando

Virus Outbreak-Florida Theme Parks
FILE – In this Aug. 5, 2019 file photo, guests cool off under a water mist by the globe at Universal Studios City Walk at Universal Studios Florida in Orlando, Fla. In the wake of the coronavirus crisis, the company that owns Universal theme parks around the world says it’s delaying construction on a fourth theme park in Florida and that the opening of a Nintendo-themed park in Japan will be pushed back by a few months. Comcast CEO Brian Roberts said Thursday, April 30, 2020 that the company was delaying construction on its fourth park at Orlando Universal Resort. The Epic Universe theme park was announced last year to great fanfare. (AP Photo/John Raoux, file)

A 9-year-old boy was found unresponsive on a water thrill ride at Universal Orlando’s Volcano Bay a few weeks after the theme park reopened following a shutdown due to the pandemic.

The child was taken to a hospital for treatment and was released the following day, according to Universal spokesman Tom Schroder.

The incident reportedly occurred on June 14 at the Kala and Tai Nui Serpentine Body Slides.

It was first noted in a quarterly report in which the major theme parks voluntarily disclose whether their visitors were hurt on a ride and hospitalized for at least 24 hours.

The report covers the time period from April through June, when most of the state’s theme parks were closed.

Universal was the first theme park in the state to reopen to guests on June 5.

Schroder did not disclose details about the boy’s injuries.

Passengers on the ride, which is atop the iconic volcano, venture through drop doors into enclosed tubes before splashing into a pool.

The reports are released by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

The listings only include the person’s sex and age, along with the name of the ride, date of the incident and limited details.