Fraser Health is reporting another COVID-19 exposure at a North Delta school.
In an early notification letter sent to parents Oct. 25, the health authority said an individual who was at Sands Secondary on Oct. 19, 20, 21 and 22 has been confirmed to have COVID-19.
The person has since been isolated and Fraser Health said there is no direct exposure risk at this time.
The health authority has initiated contact tracing at the schools to rapidly identify any staff and/or students that need to self-isolate or self-monitor for symptoms and will continue to investigate the exposures.
The health authority will phone staff and students that need to self-isolate for 14 days, and may send letters to others asking them to self-monitor for symptoms. Those who receive the letter may continue to attend the school while they self-monitor.
Parents and staff at the school will not be contacted by Fraser Health unless they were directly exposed to COVID-19.
The case marks the seventh exposure at a school in Delta since classes resumed last month.
Recently, parents at Hawthorne Elementary in Ladner were notified there had been case at the school on Oct. 15. Two days earlier on Oct. 13, single cases were reported at both Heath Traditional Elementary in North Delta and Delta Secondary in Ladner.
It was the second exposure at Delta Secondary since school resumed. On Sept. 14, the Delta School District notified parents at DSS that someone who had been at the school on Sept. 11 — the second full day of instruction this school year — had tested positive for COVID-19.
Meanwhile, an entire class at Richardson Elementary in North Delta was told to self-isolate on Oct. 16 following an exposure at the school earlier that month.
The individual in that case had attended the school on Oct. 1, 5, 6, 8 and 9. Parents were initially told of the exposure on Oct. 14.
READ MORE: Class told to self-isolate as three new school exposures reported in Delta
Four days earlier, parents at Jarvis Traditional Elementary in North Delta were told on Oct. 10 that there had been an exposure at the school on Oct. 5 and 7.
Fraser Health lists current school exposures on its website at fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/coronavirus/school-notifications.
The health authority defines an exposure as a single person with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period.
By contrast, a cluster is defined two or more individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period and whose cases may be linked to school-based transmission. An outbreak refers to multiple individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection when transmission is likely widespread within the school setting.
In all cases, public health will investigate, interview the person or persons and conduct contact tracing.
For more information about COVID-19, visit fraserhealth.ca/health-topics-a-to-z/coronavirus.
editor@northdeltareporter.com
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