15 new school-related COVID-19 cases reported in Hamilton Monday

COVID-19 continues to infect students and staff in Hamilton schools, with 15 new positive tests and anotherschool-associated outbreak as of Monday.

But of those 15 new cases, seven had not exposed others in school.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB)reported four new COVID-19 cases with school-related contacts, including:

• ACathy Wever Elementary School student.
• TwoDundas Valley Secondary School students.
• ASherwood Secondary School student.
• ASouth Meadow Elementary School student.

An outbreak was declared at theUmbrella Family Child Care Centre atCathy Wever Elementary School after two students tested positive.

"This outbreak does not affect or impact the operation of our preschool and toddler programs," the program said in aletter to families.

"HPHS[Hamilton Public Health Services]has advised that there is not a strong suspicion that these positive cases are the new variant of concern."

The Hamilton-Wentworth Catholic District School Board has three COVID-19 cases that exposed students and staff, including:

• AnOur Lady of the AssumptionCatholic Elementary School staff memberlast in school on Feb. 17.
• ASt. Jean de Brbeuf Catholic Secondary School student last in school on Feb. 12.
• ASt. Teresa of Avila Catholic Elementary School student last in school on Feb. 12.

The new St. Teresa of Avila case is part of the outbreak that closed the school.

A letter to families indicates the positive test result was detected due to targeted testing.

"The case is from one of the isolating cohorts and is connected to the school outbreak declared on February 17th," read the letter from principalDevia Cataniato families.

"There are no additional school-related close contacts associated with this individual."

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