All confirmed last weekend
MANITOULIN – As of press time Monday, December 7, Manitoulin District saw a sudden upswing in people testing positive for COVID-19 with five new cases reported from Saturday to Monday, bringing the total to 12 since the pandemic began. Among those cases is a student at Central Manitoulin Public School (CMPS). These five cases are all currently the active ones on Manitoulin Island and district.
On Sunday, December 6, parents and guardians with children at CMPS were contacted by school officials who confirmed a case of COVID-19 had been identified at the public school in Mindemoya.
A letter from Rainbow District School Board (RDSB) notes that CMPS remains open for learning and that the student who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently self-isolating and is being monitored by Public Health Sudbury and Districts (PHSD).
“At this time, one class has been asked to self-isolate up to and including December 19,” the RDSB communiqué continues. “The affected students, their parents/guardians and relevant staff have also been notified.”
Students travelling on morning and afternoon bus route 993 have also been asked to self-isolate up to and including December 19. The affected students, their parents/guardians and the relevant bus driver have been notified, the communiqué states. PHSD will follow up directly with parents/guardians of students on this bus route.
PHSD will also directly contact all parents/guardians of students and all school personnel who have been identified as close contacts.
Students and staff who have been asked to stay home but who are not contacted directly by PHSD must self-isolate immediately up to and including December 19. They should also seek COVID-19 testing as soon as possible, the RDSB is requesting.
“If you are not called by PHSD, please continue to follow the general advice in this letter,” the communiqué states.
RDSB reminds everyone that “simply passing by an infected person in the hallway is not considered close contact, and the risk of spreading the virus this way is extremely low.”
Mindemoya Minor Hockey Association has cancelled games and practices for the remainder of the year while the Little Current-Howland Minor Hockey Association has cancelled games and practices until further notice.
Anyone who is exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms or has concerns that they may have been in contact with a known case should contact the Manitoulin Health Centre COVID assessment centres by calling 705-368-2300 (Little Current site) or 705-377-5311 (Mindemoya site) and follow the prompts. Testing is based on a clinical assessment of each person.
Visit Manitoulin.com for more information on the status of cases on Manitoulin as information becomes available.
