North Delta’s Jarvis Traditional Elementary School will be functionally closed by the Delta School District for two weeks after Fraser Health has identified six COVID-19 cases at the school.
In a news release issued by Fraser Health on Saturday night, the health authority said it is working closely with the Delta School District to manage a cluster of COVID-19 cases at the school.
“Six COVID-19-positive cases have been identified at this location. As a result of this cluster, the Delta School District has advised Fraser Health that they will functionally close Jarvis Elementary School for a two-week period due to the staffing challenges presented by the cluster,” said Fraser Health in the news release.
Meanwhile, elsewhere in the Delta School District, Fraser Health issued an early notification letter for a COVID-19 exposure at North Delta’s Richardson Elementary on Friday afternoon stating that an individual who attended the school on Nov. 4 and 5 had tested positive for COVID-19. The person infected is self-isolating at home.
The early notification letter to parents from Fraser Health advises parents on the next steps following the exposure stating the public health authority has initiated contact tracing to identify any staff and or students that need to self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms as well as continuing to investigate the exposure itself.
Fraser Health will only phone staff and students that have been identified as needing to self-isolate for 14 days from when they were exposed. Letters may be sent to staff and students who will be asked to self-monitor for symptoms.
Fraser Health updates its school exposure cases on its website at: www.fraserhealth.ca.
The current list for the Delta School District as of Saturday evening lists eight Delta schools with exposure events including: Delta Secondary (exposure event – Nov. 3 and 4), Gray Elementary (exposure event – Nov. 5), Jarvis Traditional Elementary (exposure event – Nov. 2-6 and Nov. 9), MB Sanford Elementary (exposure event – Nov. 4 and 5), McCloskey Elementary (exposure event – Nov. 2), Heath Elementary (exposure event – Nov. 2 and 3), Sands Secondary (exposure event – Nov. 5) and Seaquam Secondary (exposure event – Nov. 2).
Richardson has not yet made the exposure list.
Fraser Health updates the list daily with notifications distributed in the previous 24 hours. Fraser Health removes the notifications after the 14-day incubation period has passed from date of exposure and the risk of transmission has passed.
Outbreak declared at Surrey school
On Saturday night, Fraser Health also declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Cambridge Elementary School in Surrey, after seven COVID-19-positive cases were identified. As a precautionary measure to respond to this outbreak, Fraser Health has advised the Surrey School District to close Cambridge Elementary School for a two-week period to break any chains of COVID-19 transmission that may be present at the school.
In addition, Fraser Health is working closely with Al-Hidayah School, an independent school in New Westminster, to manage a cluster of COVID-19 cases at this location. Eight COVID-19-positive cases have been identified at the school. As a result of this cluster, Al-Hidayah School has advised Fraser Health that they will functionally close the school for a two-week period due to the staffing challenges presented by the cluster.
“In a school environment, if a student or teacher receives a confirmed positive COVID-19 test result, Fraser Health Public Health follows a rigorous protocol, contact tracing is initiated to determine how the individual was infected and who they were in close contact with in order to advise for self-monitoring or isolation.
Public Health staff works closely with the school and school district throughout the case and contact management process to maintain close communication with the school community,” said Fraser Health.
