COVID-19 outbreak declared at St. Marguerite D’Youville Catholic Elementary School
Hamilton public health has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at St. Marguerite D'Youville Catholic Elementary School.
An outbreak is defined as two or more lab-confirmed COVID-19 cases in students or staff in one school. An outbreak is declared if the cases are connected in some way or if a link between the two can't be ruled out, according to public health.
At St. Marguerite D'Youville, the first student who tested positive was last in the Hamilton Mountain school on Friday, Oct. 23. The student tested positive on Oct. 25, according to a notice sent to parents.
The second student is from the same cohort and was last in the building that same day. Their result was confirmed to the board late Tuesday afternoon.
According to the Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board, one classroom has been closed as a result of the outbreak.
Students and staff in the classroom have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days, according to the board, and those who test positive are not allowed to return to school until cleared by public health.
Contact tracing related to the cases is also underway by public health, while the board has undertaken a deep cleaning and disinfection" of the classroom.
This is the third school-related outbreak in Hamilton.
The outbreak at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Elementary School was declared over on Monday, while the outbreak at Shannen Koostachin Elementary School ended on Oct. 21.
Other school cases
An adult learner at St. Charles Adult and Continuing Education Centre on Young Street has tested positive for COVID-19.
According to the Catholic board, the student was last in the building on Oct. 23 and their results were confirmed late Tuesday.
One classroom has been closed, according to the board, and learners and staff who are considered a close contact of the case will be instructed to self-isolate by Hamilton public health.
A sixth student at St. Mary Catholic Secondary School has also tested positive for the virus. The new case comes after five others were identified at the school over the last week.
The student was last in the school on Oct. 13, according to a notice to parents. Their results were confirmed to the board on Tuesday afternoon.
(Hamilton public health) has determined that there are no school-related close contacts with this individual and no risk to the school," the school's principal said in the letter.
As of Wednesday, Hamilton's school boards have reported at least five new cases of COVID-19 this week.
Fallon Hewitt is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach her via email: fhewitt@thespec.com