Dec. 3 update: Citadel High closes after positive COVID test, Nova Scotia announces 11 total new cases – Cape Breton Post

Dec. 3 update: Citadel High closes after positive COVID test, Nova Scotia announces 11 total new cases – Cape Breton Post

Citadel High School in Halifax, the largest high school in the province, is being shut down after a confirmed case of COVID-19 connected to the facility.

In an email sent to parents on Thursday, Citadel principal Joe Morrison wrote that Public Health had confirmed the positive test and is working to identify any students and staff who may have been in close contact with the affected person.

“Out of an abundance of caution, and in consultation with Public Health, our school will be closed to students until at least Tuesday, December 8, to allow for a deep cleaning and time for Public Health to engage in contact tracing,” the email said.

“On these days, staff will support students to continue their learning while at home.”

Morrison’s email went on to say that if a child is identified as a close contact, Public Health will be communicating with the parents directly.

“If Public Health does not contact you, it is because your child is not considered a close contact and no further action is required,” Morrison wrote.

“We understand you may feel anxious over the coming days. It is natural to want to know if your child may have been exposed to the virus. Public Health officials will inform those who are at risk of the next steps, but to protect the privacy of students and staff, other details including names, will not be released.”

His email asks parents to speak to their kids to assuage any anxiety and remind them that school is a safe place.

They are also asked to watch for for symptoms of COVID-19 and, if any develop, to complete the online self-assessment or call 811.

Morrison also sent an email to teachers, with the added comment that they will work from home on Friday to support students, “and a decision on whether we will be in the building on Monday or continue to work from home will be made over the weekend. Please take any materials/equipment with you that you will need.”

The school had already been closed Thursday for a personal development and virtual parent-teacher day anyway, according to an email from the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development.

Citadel offers classes in grades 10 to 12 in both English and French with a total enrolment of more than 1,500.

Meanwile, Nova Scotia authorities announced 11 new cases of COVID-19 on Thursday, although the total number of active cases has gone down to 119 as some previously affected by the disease have recovered.

Nine of the new cases are in Central Zone while the other two cases are in Northern Zone, according to a provincial news release.

“As we get closer to another weekend under tighter restrictions, I want to remind all Nova Scotians that we need to continue limiting our social contacts and travel so we can contain the virus,” Premier Stephen McNeil said in the news release. “We have the ability to slow the spread of COVID-19 in our province if we follow all the public health measures.”

The positive cases were identified among 2,047 Nova Scotia tests Nova Scotia Health Authority labs completed on Wednesday.

There were 338 tests done at the rapid-testing pop-up site in Halifax and 148 tests administered at the rapid-testing pop-up site in Wolfville. There were no positive test results identified at either site, according to the release.

Sipekne’katik Chief Michael Sack has announced that two cases were found in his First Nations community on Wednesday.

Since Oct. 1, Nova Scotia has completed 71,631 tests. There have been 254 positive COVID-19 cases and no deaths. No one is currently in hospital. One hundred and thirty-five cases are now resolved.

“It is important to recognize that although our cases numbers are not as high as we expected them to be, we continue to see new cases of COVID-19 every day,” Dr. Robert Strang, Nova Scotia’s chief medical officer of health, said in the release. “Now is not the time to let our guard down. Please do your part to slow the spread of this virus by continuing to follow all the public health measures and restrictions.”

Public Health continues to remind Nova Scotians to visit https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/ to do a self-assessment if in the past 48 hours you have had or you are currently experiencing: fever (i.e. chills/sweats) or cough (new or worsening), or two or more of the following symptoms (new or worsening): sore throat, runny nose/nasal congestion, headache, shortness of breath/difficulty breathing.

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Published at Thu, 03 Dec 2020 18:43:14 +0000