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COVID-19 exposures reported at nine more Delta schools

Almost all of the exposures took place last week in schools in North Delta
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This undated electron microscope image made available by the U.S. National Institutes of Health in February 2020 shows the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2. Also known as 2019-nCoV, the virus causes COVID-19. The sample was isolated from a patient in the U.S. (Photo courtesy NIAID-RML via The Associated Press)

Parents at nine Delta schools have been warned of COVID-19 exposures since Tuesday.

Notification letters sent to parents this week and shared on the “BC School Covid Tracker” Facebook page show numerous exposures, mostly at schools in North Delta, took place the week prior.

Letters sent on Tuesday, Nov. 10 warn of exposures at McCloskey Elementary (Nov. 2), Seaquam Secondary (Nov. 2 and 3), Jarvis Traditional Elementary (Nov. 2, 3, 4 and 5), Delta Secondary in Ladner (Nov. 3 and 4), Gray Elementary (Nov. 5) and Sands Secondary (Nov. 5).

More letters sent on Wednesday, Nov. 11 warn of exposures at Delview Secondary (Oct. 29 and 30), North Delta Secondary (Nov. 4, 5 and 6) and Sunshine Hills Elementary (Nov. 5 and 6).

The letters state Fraser Health has initiated contact tracing at the schools to rapidly identify any staff and/or students that need to self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms and will continue to investigate the exposures.

The health authority will phone staff and students that need to self-isolate for 14 days, and may send letters to others asking them to self-monitor for symptoms. Those who receive the letter may continue to attend the school while they self-monitor.

As of 3:05 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 12, some of the schools and exposure dates were still not listed on Fraser Health’s school exposure website. The exposures at Delta Secondary, North Delta Secondary and Sunshine Hills Elementary were missing entirely, as were the exposures at Delview Secondary on Oct. 30 and Seaquam Secondary on Nov. 3.

Further, the site only listed an exposure at Heath Traditional Elementary on Oct. 29, though letters were sent out warning parents of exposures at the school on Oct. 26, 27, 28 and 29.

READ MORE: Second COVID-19 exposure event at North Delta elementary school

RELATED: OPINION: Fraser Health dropping the ball on COVID-19 communication

The website also listed an exposure at MB Sanford Elementary on Nov. 4 and 5 in the Delta School District #37 section, though that school is located in Surrey.

The recent exposure notices bring the total number of known school exposure events in Delta since class resumed in September to 17.

Other exposures include:

• Sands Secondary School in North Delta on Oct. 19, 20, 21 and 22

• Hawthorne Elementary in Ladner on Oct. 15

• Delta Secondary School in Ladner on Oct. 13

• Richardson Elementary in North Delta on Oct. 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9

• Jarvis Traditional Elementary in North Delta on Oct. 5 and 7

• Delta Secondary School in Ladner on Sept. 11 (the second full day of instruction this school year)

The exposure at Richardson Elementary also led to an entire class at the school being told to self-isolate.

READ MORE: Class told to self-isolate as three new school exposures reported in Delta (Oct. 19, 2020)

Fraser Health defines an exposure as a single person with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period.

By contrast, a cluster is defined two or more individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period and whose cases may be linked to school-based transmission. An outbreak refers to multiple individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection when transmission is likely widespread within the school setting.

In all cases, public health will investigate, interview the person or persons and conduct contact tracing.

For more information about COVID-19, visit fraserhealth.com/COVID-19.


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editor@northdeltareporter.com

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James Smith

About the Author: James Smith

James Smith is the founding editor of the North Delta Reporter.
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