Coronavirus: MLHU declares outbreak at Clara Brenton Public School in London, Ont.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at Clara Brenton Public School.

The declaration of an outbreak, which was announced Wednesday evening, stems from an investigation into a number of cases identified at the school on St. Croix Avenue.

The MLHU did not say how many cases were identified, but say the investigation revealed the virus may have spread between close contacts at the school who have tested positive for coronavirus.

Staff and students who are identified as having had close contact with the cases will be excluded from attending school, but Clara Brenton will stay open, according to the MLHU.

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In a news release, the MLHU noted that the declaration of an outbreak “is also an indication that Health Unit case investigators have observed a higher rate of infection than would otherwise be expected in that setting, combined with evidence that transmission may have occurred within the facility.”

This marks the first school-based outbreak since students in London and Middlesex County were allowed to return to in-person learning.

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