Covid 19 coronavirus: West Auckland high school student tests positive for Covid-19

A West Auckland high school has been forced to shut for deep cleaning after a student tested positive for Covid-19.

The Ministry of Education informed St Dominic's Catholic College of the news on Tuesday afternoon, parents were told.

Principal Anna Swann said the college for girls would be closed for 72 hours to allow for deep cleaning and contact tracing.

"I understand that this may cause some feelings of worry and concern among some families, but I want to reassure you that we are being closely guided by the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Health," Swann wrote in a letter to parents.

The student was now isolating with her family.

Parents or caregivers of anyone deemed to be a close contact would be contacted in the upcoming days, Swann wrote.

Anyone who did not receive a letter from the school was considered a casual contact and could attend school when it reopens next Monday.

"If you know the identity of the student of family with Covid-19, please do not disclose their names or details to anyone else, and discourage your children from speculating or identifying them on social media," Swann wrote.

Such speculation could lead to online bullying and abuse.

All school activities due to take place at the secondary school - including senior preliminary exams - were on hold until further notice, Swann said.

Only cleaning contractors would be allowed on the school grounds over the next 72 hours.

The Ministry of Education informed the school this afternoon, principal Anna Swann said. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Ministry of Health said that the chance of close contacts developing the virus was small, and the risk was even smaller for everyone else at the school at the same time as the student who tested positive.

The St Dominic's school community was urged to remain vigilant for symptoms of Covid-19, including a new or worsening cough, sore throat, running nose or fever.

Nearby schools issue notices after positive test

The college is in close proximity to three other schools.

Waitakere College is almost directly opposite St Dominic's, while Liston College is just around the corner.

Around that same corner further down the street, on Edwards Ave, is an alleyway entrance to Henderson Intermediate.

Waitakere College last night issued a notice on its website and social media platforms alerting parents to the St Dominic's case and asking that any student with a sibling at the girls' college to stay home.

Waitakere College has issued a notice to its school community after a student at nearby St Dominic's College tested positive for Covid-19. Image / Google

The notice also let the school community know that the affected St Dominic's senior student does not travel on any shared buses with Waitakere or any other public bus.

"Again, please keep any students that feel unwell at home and ensure that they get tested. This is most important to keep ahead of this virus.

"Our school remains open for all students, but we expect anyone with a sibling at St Dominic's to stay at home and contact us," the notice read.

Holy Cross Catholic School was taking a "cautious approach" to the positive case,
principal Janice Borsos said.

"I am requesting that you keep any children home who have a sibling at the College," she shared online.

"Yes I am being very cautious but I am trying to keep all our children safe."

Meanwhile the Ministry of Health announced six new cases of Covid-19 on Tuesday, four in the community and linked to the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship Church "mini-cluster".

Auckland Regional Public Health was actively tracing and testing their contacts.

Two of the cases are in managed isolation - one is a man in his 20s who arrived from the Philippines on September 3 and was at a managed isolation facility when he tested positive on day 3 of his stay.

The second case is a female in her late teens who arrived on the same flight from the Philippines and also tested positive on day 3.

Four people with Covid-19 remain in hospital: two are stable and in isolation - one in Middlemore and one in North Shore hospitals - and two are in ICU, at North Shore and Waikato hospitals.

With Tuesday's six new cases and one additional recovered case, New Zealand's total number of active cases is 123. Of those, 43 are imported cases in managed isolation facilities, and 80 are community cases.

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