COVID-19 cases continue to pile up within London-area schools after four more people tested positive for the virus and a presumptive case was identified.
The Thames Valley District School Board announced on Tuesday that Southwestern Public Health had identified the two positive cases at Northdale Public School in Woodstock, and another case had been found at Eagle Heights Public School in London by the Middlesex London Health Unit. This is the second positive case at Eagle Heights within the last two weeks.A presumptive case of the virus was also identified at Straffordville Public School in Elgin County. The presumptive individual was reportedly showing symptoms of the virus and attended the school on Friday. The COVID-19 test results of the ill person are currently pending.
The London District Catholic School Board also announced that a positive case had been detected at Catholic Central High School in London.
Both school boards said it has informed all staff, parents, and guardians within all school communities of COVID-19 cases. The local health units are also working to identify anyone who has come into close contact with the individuals.
“If you are not contacted by the health unit, your child is not considered to be at risk. The health unit will only contact those staff and students who have been identified as a close contact and will advise them to stay home from school and quarantine for a period of 14 days,” the Thames Valley board said in a news release.
All schools will remain open and school buses will continue to operate.
Last week, the Thames Valley board reported six other COVID-19 cases at five schools within the district, including Lambeth public school, Wilton Grove public school, Northbrae public school, Eagle Heights public school, and South Ridge public school in Tillsonburg. The school board reported another case on Monday within an after-school program at Arthur Ford Public School.
Since Friday, four other cases of COVID-19 have been identified within the London District Catholic School Board — two at Sir Arthur Carty Catholic Elementary School, one at Westminster Secondary School and one at St. Nicholas Catholic Elementary School.