London-Middlesex sees first school case of COVID-19 at H.B. Beal Secondary School: MLHU

Officials with the Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) and the Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) say they have been made aware of a confirmed novel coronavirus case involving a member of H.B. Beal Secondary School.

According to the province, the case involves a student at the school.

In a release to the media that was also sent out separately by the TVDSB, the health unit said it was notified about the positive case on Monday afternoon, and that MLHU investigators were working with the individual to determine their close contacts inside and outside the school.

“Members of the H.B. Beal Secondary School community who are identified as close contacts will be notified directly by Health Unit investigators and will be directed to seek testing,” the health unit said.

“Neither students or staff members who are not identified as close contacts, nor the family members of close contacts, need to go for testing unless they develop symptoms consistent with COVID-19.”

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In a statement, the school board’s director of education, Mark Fisher, said health officials had indicated there was no evidence the case resulted from contact at the school.

“H.B. Beal will remain open and school buses will operate,” he said.

The case is the first school case to be confirmed in the city and county.

The region reported five new cases and two recoveries on Monday. Only one was found to involve Western University. The school has seen a surge in cases recently, tied in large part to gatherings and parties at bars and off-campus residences.

As many as 47 cases have been reported over the last week and a half involving the university’s student population.