Five new COVID-19 cases are being reported at Simcoe County schools today.
According to area school boards, there are 23 active COVID cases in schools in Simcoe County as of the morning of Sept. 28.
As of Sept. 28, the Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board has reported one new case at St. Marie of the Incarnation Catholic School in Bradford, with one classroom closed. One new case is also being reported at St. Ann's Catholic School in Penetanguishene, with one classroom closed.
Within the board, there are 19 active cases spread across 11 schools.
In addition to the new case reported, the current active cases in Simcoe Muskoka Catholic District School Board schools include:
- Three cases at Monsignor Clair Catholic School in Barrie, with two classrooms closed
- One case at St. Joseph's Catholic High School in Barrie, with two classrooms closed
- One case at St. Theresa’s Catholic High School in Midland, with one classroom closed
- One case at St. James Catholic School (Tottenham)
- Two cases at St. Bernadette Catholic School (Barrie), and two classrooms are closed
- Two cases at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Secondary School
- Three cases and three classrooms closed at Barrie's Saint Gabriel the Archangel Catholic School
- Two cases and two classrooms closed at St. Nicholas Catholic School, also in Barrie
- Two cases and two classrooms closed at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic School in Innisfil
The Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Monsignor Clair Catholic School on Sept. 22.
The Simcoe County District School Board is reporting three new cases at their schools as of Sept. 28.
There is one case and classroom closure at Chris Hadfield Public School in Bradford, one case and classroom closure at W.C. Little Elementary School in Barrie and one case at Worsley Elementary School in Wasaga Beach.
There are no other active cases listed on the SCDSB’s advisory board.
There are still three active outbreaks within the board according to the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit at W.H. Day Public School in Bradford declared on Sept. 20 (three cases), Alliston Union Public School declared on Sept. 17 (four cases) and Fieldcrest Elementary School in Bradford declared on Sept. 15 (two cases).
When asked by Village Media why outbreaks were still active at those three schools despite the school board listing no active cases at the schools, officials with the health unit indicated there is a delay in removing institutions from outbreak status.
“In general, outbreaks are declared over when at least 14 days have passed with no evidence of ongoing transmission that could reasonably be related to exposures in the school and no further symptomatic individuals have been reported by the school who are associated the exposed cohorts,” said Kara Thomson-Ryczko, public health promoter with the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit. “As such, it would make sense that active cases are no longer seen online given isolation is usually 10 days (changed from 14 days) from date of onset.”
Conseil scolaire Viamonde reported one student case in the region at Roméo-Dallaire High School in Barrie on Sept. 13 that is still active.
The health unit declares a school outbreak where there is evidence of person-to-person transmission of COVID-19 at the school.
