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Three COVID-19 cases confirmed at Grey Highlands school

The Grey Bruce Health Unit has confirmed three students from Osprey Central School in Maxwell have tested positive for COVID-19
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According to the GBHU, the three students who have tested positive belong to the same household and the transmission is believed to have taken place at home and not at the school. Stock photo.

The first cases of COVID-19 in the student population in Grey County have been confirmed at Osprey Central School in Maxwell in the municipality of Grey Highlands.

“We are working with the family and the Bluewater District School Board (BDSB) to identify others, both in and out of the school environment, who may have been exposed and determine their risk level,” said Dr. Ian Arra, medical officer of health for Grey Bruce Health Unit (GBHU) in a media release.

GBHU confirmed three positive cases of COVID-19 in three students from Osprey Central School, which is part of BDSB on Sunday.

“The school will remain open. As public health is the lead for managing all cases, they will be directly contacting any individuals who may have been exposed as identified through contact tracing,” said Jamie Pettit, communications officer for BDSB. “BDSB will continue to follow public health’s guidance and advice regarding any additional next steps to ensure the health and safety of our students and staff.”

According to the GBHU, the three students who have tested positive belong to the same household and the transmission is believed to have taken place at home and not at the school.

“In our assessment, the transmission to them did not take place at the school. Currently, there are no outbreaks, that is evidence of transmission from person-to-person, in any schools or childcare centres in Grey Bruce,” Arra said.

All three cases were identified through contact management of another COVID case in Grey Highlands. One of the three students had been showing symptoms.

As such, no outbreak has been declared at the school. However, according to the health unit, students from three classrooms have been asked to isolate.

The health unit is following up with all individuals who may have been in contact with the positive cases.

“Anyone identified as a contact to the confirmed cases, both in and outside the school environment, will be contacted by a public health case manager directly. Those at risk of infection will be contacted within 24 hours of the investigation,” Arra said.

According to Arra, the GBHU will be deploying a mobile assessment centre in the Osprey community later this week to test those who are considered at-risk, as identified by public health.

“There is no value in anyone being tested ahead of this as results would be unreliable and would put individuals at risk of more testing than is required,” Arra added.

A case previously reported as "preliminary" – also a Grey Highlands resident – was also confirmed positive on Sunday.

The municipality of Grey Highlands has now had a total of 11 cases.

The current cumulative total of COVID-19 cases in GBHU is 164 with eight active cases.

Of the 164 cases, 146 have recovered and 10 cases have been referred to other health units.

There is currently one person being hospitalized in the region.

There are no active outbreaks in any long-term care facilities, daycares, or schools in GBHU.

And, GBHU continues to be one of the only health units in Ontario to have no deaths as a result of COVID-19.

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Grey County included - Owen Sound (61); Southgate (16); Meaford (13); Grey Highlands (11); West Grey (10); Blue Mountains (9); Hanover (3); Georgian Bluffs (2); Chatsworth (1). Bruce County has had 38 confirmed cases.


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Jennifer Golletz

About the Author: Jennifer Golletz

Jennifer Golletz covers civic matters under the Local Journalism Initative, which is funded by the Government of Canada
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