Alberta Health Services says it now considers there to be a COVID-19 outbreak at St. John Paul II Catholic High School. In a letter sent to staff, students, and visitors on November 10th, the province says two or more cases have been confirmed at the school, prompting the outbreak to be declared.
“Public health staff are investigating to determine who may have been exposed at your school to cases of COVID-19 during their infectious period,” it reads. “The risk of the general population in the school becoming infected because of these cases is low.”
Any staff or students who have been identified as a close contact of a COVID-19 case should be contacted by Public Health. A coronavirus case at the school was first confirmed publicly on October 17th, and another on November 5th.
An outbreak is declared when there are 2 or more confirmed cases in a school setting within a 14 day period where disease could have been acquired or transmitted in the school.