NORTHERN ONTARIO

Three Sudbury schools dismissed following more COVID-19 cases

CTV Northern Ontario

Dana Roberts CTVNews.ca Barrie Anchor

@CTVDanaRoberts Contact

Published Sunday, February 28, 2021 3:53PM EST Last Updated Sunday, February 28, 2021 11:19PM EST

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SUDBURY -- The largest school board in northeastern Ontario has announced a handful of new COVID-19 infections that are impacting multiple schools and classrooms.

Officials with Sudbury's Rainbow District School Board were tasked with sending out five letters to five separate schools detailing new COVID-19 cases and the implications.

The schools that are being impacted are:

Algonquin Public School
Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School
Walden Public School
Jean Hanson Public School

Late Sunday night, Public Health Sudbury & Districts (PHSD) confirmed that all students and staff have been dismissed at Jean Hanson Public School, which was first under an outbreak as of Saturday, and Algonquin Public School, which entered outbreak status Sunday.

"With additional cases reported this week, Public Health has determined there is potential widespread COVID-19 infection among the school communities," said a news release by PHSD Sunday evening. "Broader testing of the school communities will assist with additional case finding. This combined with self-isolation of all school attendees is intended to limit further spread."

PHSD has confirmed that no cases at either school have screen positive for COVID-19 variant of concern as of Sunday evening.

In a letter sent home late Sunday evening to parents of students at Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, officials noted that out of "an abundance of caution," all classes will be delivered remotely for Monday.

"In person classes are cancelled for the day as we assess the situation," read a letter signed by Norm Blaseg, the director of education for the Rainbow District School Board.

At Lo-Ellen Park Secondary School, the following specific classes have been identified as needing to self-isolate:

Grade 8 B class to isolate through March 9
Grade 10 Physical Education - PAF3O/4O0-02 to isolate through March 11
Grade 10 History - CHC2DI-01 to isolate through March 11
Bus Routes L809, L881, NO55 to isolate through March 9.

In addition, students at MacLeod Public School on the morning elementary run on bus route LW258 are being told to self-isolate through March 10. While there is no confirmed case at the school, the route is shared and there is risk of possible exposure.

The bus route has been cancelled and all impacted are to have received a letter from PHSD.

Students from Jean Hanson who are on the morning bus route LW258, which is shared with MacLeod Public School, must isolate through March 10 as well.

Officials have also confirmed one new case of COVID-19 at Algonquin Road Public School. The Kindergarten Class in Room 9 must self-isolate through March 10. CTV News has learned that PHSD has dismissed all classes for the time being.

In addition, a newly confirmed case of COVID-19 at Walden Public School has sidelined its Grade 2 class in room 127 through March 8.

Students from that school on bus route L858 must also isolate through March 8.

All letters provide guidance for those at these schools who are not part of the classes told to isolate.

"Simply passing by an infected person in the hallway is not considered close contact, and the risk of spreading the virus this way is extremely low," Blaseg writes in the letters.

To see all COVID-19 advisories for the school board, click here.

For more information on COVID-19, click here or contact PHSD at 705-522-9200 ext. 524.