Briercrest College reports 62 active COVID-19 cases

As of Monday Briercrest College in Caronport, Sask., is reporting 71 total COVID-19 cases, 62 of which are active.

Caronport is located approximately 90 kilometres west of Regina.

An outbreak was declared at the school by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) on Sept. 13.

The high school portion of the campus, Briercrest Christian Academy, has seen three total cases, all of which are still active.

By Sunday, 61 students will have completed their isolation, the school said in its COVID-19 update.

A previous update from Briercrest said the SHA hosted a mobile testing clinic on campus on Sept. 7 and processed more than 300 staff, students and faculty.

Briercrest said the clinic resulted in eight positive results. In consultation with SHA, Briercrest went through contact tracing “to best advise best practices for those affected.”

“Close contacts who volunteered the information that they received two doses of a COVID-19 vaccine were instructed to monitor for symptoms with increased vigilance,” Briercrest added in its update.

If COVID-19 symptoms developed, close contacts were required to isolate and seek testing.

Those who “volunteered information” that they were not vaccinated or only received one dose were instructed to self-isolate immediately and seek testing.

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Briercrest is moving students who are unable to isolate on their own, particularly those in dorms with communal washrooms, into private rooms.

Meals are delivered to the rooms and students are communicating virtually with staff and student leaders.

The SHA set up an additional testing clinic on Sept. 17.

According to Briercrest’s COVID-19 reopen plan, vaccinations are not required to attend campus. However, all Briercrest staff, faculty, and college students were required to take a COVID-19 test upon returning to campus, even those who were vaccinated.

Global News has reached out to Briercrest for comment. This article will be updated upon their response.