The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) confirmed Tuesday that a person at Northdale Central Public School has tested positive for the novel coronavirus.
Health Unit investigators determined that the person was at the school while infectious and have notified parents, guardians and staff who are part of the school community.
“While we are seeing more cases associated with schools, we have also seen a marked increase in the overall number of cases being diagnosed in London and Middlesex County. We know the second wave of the pandemic is here and that we all have to do our part to limit the further spread of the virus,” says Dr. Alex Summers, associate medical officer of health with MLHU.
Dr. Summers urges people to continue following public health guidelines like wearing a mask, limiting close contact, and staying home from work or school if you are ill.
It is unclear whether the case involves a student or staff member, but this is the third school within the London-Middlesex area to have a positive case in the last two days.
On Monday, MLHU reported that a member of Mary Wright Public School and another at Sir Arthur Currie Public School had tested positive for COVID-19.
The case at Sir Arthur Currie was the second at that school within the last week and prompted the health unit to declare an outbreak.
In a release, MLHU said the two cases appear to be associated with one another.
“This is not an indication of widespread illness at the school,” said Dr. Chris Mackie, medical officer of health at MLHU. “All contacts of the cases have been notified directly.”
The TVDSB confirmed on Friday that someone at Sir Arthur Currie had tested positive for COVID-19.
The MLHU said investigators determined that the person the school while infectious.
As of Tuesday, all schools with cases of COVID-19 remain open, and there have been a total of 10 in the area since the start of September.
Last Thursday, the MLHU confirmed that a student at Saunders Secondary School (SSS) has tested positive for COVID-19.
MLHU is also reporting that two people at École élémentaire La Pommeraie, a French-language elementary school in southwest London, have tested positive for the coronavirus.
Other cases include a student at Mitchell Hepburn Public School in St. Thomas reported on Sept. 29, while a separate probable case was reported at St. Thomas Community Christian School, a private school, on Sept. 25.
It was not clear whether the private school case involved a student or staff member. An SWPH spokesperson said this week that the case had since been deemed resolved and that students had returned to school.
The first case, at H.B. Beal Secondary School, has since been resolved.