COVID-19 outbreaks declared at four London schools | CBC News
Four COVID-19 outbreaks have been declared at London schools.
The Middlesex London Health Unit is calling the cases at those schools outbreaks because officials say they’ve concluded that the new cases are linked to previous cases reported at each school.
The affected schools are Sir Arthur Currie Public School and Mother Teresa Catholic School, Westminster Secondary School and Ashley Oaks Public School.
Sir Arthur Currie and Mother Teresa each reported one additional case last night, and Westminster and Ashley Oaks reported two new cases each.
The schools remain open but there are four classes staying home at Sir Arthur Currie and five at Westminster high school.
Only people in classrooms identified as having had close contact with the individuals who have tested positive are notified and told to stay home.
“Although there is some evidence that transmission occurred outside of school in at least one of these cases, outbreaks are being declared at all four schools out of an abundance of caution. Declaring an outbreak and excluding the affected classrooms is an important step in limiting further spread of the virus,” said Dr. Chris Mackie, the region’s medical officer of health
“It is important that affected families monitor for symptoms of COVID-19. We’re advising that anyone in the household who develops symptoms needs to seek testing right away, and that everyone else in the household has to quarantine. That means staying home from work, school or childcare until test results are received for the symptomatic family member.”
The Thames Valley District School Board also reported new cases of COVID at Rick Hanson Public School in the White Oaks area of London and at Parkside Collegiate in St. Thomas. Those schools are not considered to be in an outbreak.
Meanwhile, the London Christian High School has opted to temporarily close and move to online learning after two people tested positive for the virus at the school.
