Positive cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed at St. Anne Catholic School in Blenheim and at Ursuline College Chatham (UCC).
In a media release on Tuesday, health officials confirmed two cases at St. Anne Catholic School, they were contracted outside of the school. According to public health, the two individuals are currently self-isolating. This marks the first cases of COVID-19 in a school community in Chatham-Kent.
UCC also announced late Tuesday afternoon that the St. Clair Catholic District School Board had been notified of a positive case in the high school community. As a result, two classes were closed but the school remains open.
Due to privacy concerns, further information about the individuals will not be provided.
According to the St. Clair Catholic District School Board website, two classes at St. Anne Catholic School are closed as a result of the positive cases. However, the school itself remains open.
Chatham-Kent Public Health has contacted any close contacts of the two individuals and advised them to isolate as a precaution. Health officials emphasized that if you have not been contacted by public health, then you have not been in close contact with either of the positive cases.
Additionally, the health unit confirmed on Tuesday that a school service provider for both the St. Clair Catholic District School Board and Lambton-Kent District School Board has tested positive for COVID-19 as well.
"CK Public Health is working with both school boards to provide next steps and additional support," health officials said in the release. "Public Health has notified the affected school communities [Ursuline College Chatham, St. Anne Catholic School in Blenheim, Harwich-Raleigh Public School and Blenheim District High School], contacted close contacts of the positive individual, and advised contacts to isolate as a precaution until further direction is provided."
Meanwhile, Chatham-Kent has four new cases of COVID-19. On Tuesday afternoon, CK Public Health reported a total of seven active cases, four more than Monday's count. Three people are close contacts of a case, one was exposed at an undisclosed workplace that is not open to the public resulting in a workplace outbreak, and how the other three were exposed remains under investigation.