Covid 19 coronavirus: Positive case attended Ōtāhuhu Primary School, principal says

NZ Herald

15 Aug, 2020 03:22 AM4 mins to read

There are seven new cases of Covid-19 today. All are in the community and there are no cases in managed isolation. Six cases are linked to the Auckland cluster and one case is being investigated. Video / Chris Tarpey

A person infected with Covid-19 has attended a South Auckland school, its principal has confirmed.

Ōtāhuhu Primary School principal Jason Swann said the person who tested positive for Covid-19 is an adult who attended the school.

"Our school has identified, with the support of the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Education, any possible 'close contacts' and we have contacted them," Swann said.

He said the adult is understood to be part of the "Americold cluster".

Parents were told of the news on social media yesterday, saying some staff and students might need to be tested for the virus and stay in self isolation.

"Anyone who has been near this person will be contacted as a 'close contact' this afternoon (Saturday, 15 August)," parents were told.

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"If your child wasn't in the classroom at the same time, you won't be contacted - your child doesn't need to be tested and be in self-isolation. If we contact you we will let you know what the next steps are."

The school was working closely with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, our Board of Trustees, staff and school community, it said.

Seven new cases of Covid-19 were announced today, all in the community.

Six of those cases were linked to the Auckland cluster and one case was being investigated, director general of health Ashley Bloomfield said.

That is in addition to the case being investigated yesterday. Bloomfield was confident both cases were linked to the cluster.

There are 56 active cases in New Zealand, of which 37 are in the community.

An engineering student who studied at Manukau Institute of Technology in South Auckland and a pupil at Glamorgan School in Torbay have also tested positive for the virus.

A Mt Albert Grammar student has also tested positive but is doing well in recovery, the school's principal says.

Headmaster Pat Drumm told the Herald the response from the wider MAGS whānau had been "overwhelming".

"The school is offering full support to the affected student and their family, and I'm pleased to communicate that they are currently doing very well."

Drumm has told parents in the school's weekly newsletter that "expert medical advice has reinforced the fact that the actual health risk to our MAGS people is low" despite the student testing positive on Wednesday night.

Mt Albert Primary School in Auckland has also closed as a precaution because a student there lived at a house where a number of people have tested positive for Covid-19.

Mt Albert Grammar headmaster Pat Drumm says his student with Covid-19 is "doing very well". Photo / Dean Purcell

A further two schools in Māngere East have confirmed cases of the virus.

A University of Auckland student has also tested positive for Covid-19, staff and students have been told.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Dawn Freshwater said the risk to staff and other students was believed to be low as the student hadn't been on campus since the end of July and doesn't live in student accommodation.

Freshwater said the university had detailed contingency plans in place to respond to different situations that might arise as a result of Covid-19.

"Safety of our students and staff is of paramount importance and we will be closely following the guidance of the Ministries of Health and Education," she said.