Three staff test positive at city-run Toronto daycare for essential workers

Three staff have tested positive for COVID-19 at one of the emergency daycares opened by the City of Toronto to provide care for the children of essential workers.

Two other staff and two children are awaiting test results.

The Jesse Ketchum Early Learning and Child Care Centre will undergo a deep cleaning and will be closed for the next two weeks, the city said in a statement Tuesday night. It will only reopen once granted clearance by Toronto Public Health.

The daycare opened on March 31; it is one of the seven new daycares that were opened to care for the children of essential front-line workers.

Some 58 children, as well as staff, are also being asked to stay at home for the next two weeks to prevent the spread of the virus.

There's no interruption in service for the six remaining daycares.

"Since opening on March 31, Toronto Children's Services has been implementing enhanced infection prevention and control procedures that meet public health guidelines," the city said.

"This includes small group sizes for rooms, daily screening, including temperature checks of children and staff, as well as the development of enhanced infection prevention policies and procedures."

Miriam Lafontaine is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @mirilafontaine