MIDDLESEX CENTRE, ONT. -- A case of COVID-19 has been confirmed at Mitchell Hepburn Public School in St. Thomas, the second case in a Thames Valley District School Board (TVDSB) facility.
Southwestern Public Health (SWPH) identified the case - a school-age child - and the TVDSB says it immediately notified staff as well as parents and guardians of students.
TVDSB Director of Education Mark Fisher said in a statement, “Thames Valley is following all of the health and safety protocols recommended by public health and the Ministry of Education...Mitchell Hepburn remains a safe place to attend school.”
Those students and staff considered to be at risk are being contacted by SWPH and asked to go into self-isolation for 14 days.
The board says if you have not been contacted by public health, your child is not considered to be at risk.
SWPH has reportedly indicated there is no evidence this case arose from contact at the school and so far no other students are believed to be affected.
Mitchell Hepburn will remain open and school buses will operate.
This is only the second case at a TVDSB school. The first was at H.B. Beal Secondary School in London last week, and as of Monday no additional cases linked to it have been reported.
It's also the second case reported in St. Thomas, where a probable case was reported last week at St. Thomas Community Christian School.
The board is tracking all confirmed cases on their website and additional information for parents is available on the SWPH website.
