Fraser Health says an individual at Garibaldi Secondary school has tested positive for COVID-19, and was a close contact of another case who has a variant of the virus.
The case with the variant does not go to the secondary school.
The health authority says in coordination with the school district, they are now arranging for testing to take place on Monday for staff and students who may have been in contact with the school case of COVID-19.
The Maple Ridge COVID-19 testing centre will be closed Monday to support this testing.
Appointments at the centre have been rescheduled, and walk-ins will be redirected to other testing centres.
Fraser Health says they have notified all staff and students who were close contacts to the case. They say if you have not been contacted, you do not need to get tested.
The school will remain open.
A parent told Global News that she was told to keep her children home on Monday by a teacher.
The health authority did not specify which variant of COVID-19 has been identified.
Variant strains from the United Kingdom and South Africa have been identified in B.C.
Fraser Health says the variant strain identified can transmit more quickly and easily but does not seem to cause more severe illness, nor interfere with the effectiveness of vaccines.
They are now working to identify any further connected variant cases to ensure immediate isolation and case management to prevent further transmission.
Comments