**** HEALTH/WELLNESS Media Release
Update to Halifax School COVID-19 Cases Reported June 14, New School Cases
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The COVID-19 cases reported last evening, June 14, are connected to St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary in Halifax, not Joseph Howe Elementary.
St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary will be closed to students until Monday, June 21, to allow for testing of close contacts and a deep cleaning of the school. The school will inform families about at-home learning. Families and students will receive an update before June 21.
Based on this new information, Joseph Howe Elementary will reopen to students and staff tomorrow, June 16.
Nova Scotia is also reporting one additional school case of COVID-19, identified today, June 15, connected to Sir John A. Macdonald High in Upper Tantallon and one additional case today connected to Duc d’Anville Elementary in Halifax. The people were not in school this week.
Because these two cases came in after the cut-off for reporting, they will not appear on the COVID-19 data dashboard until tomorrow, June 16.
The schools will close to students for the rest of the week to allow for testing of close contacts and a deep cleaning of the schools. The schools are expected to reopen on Monday, June 21. Sir John A Macdonald will conduct exams online during the closure.
For all schools with COVID-19 cases, public health will be in touch with any close contacts of positive cases and advise of next steps, including testing. Everyone who is a close contact will be notified, tested and asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Out of an abundance of caution, public health is recommending that all students and staff be tested for COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms. No self-isolation is required while they wait for test results unless they have been identified as a close contact by public health or have symptoms.
Additional Resources:
Information about all COVID-19 cases connected to public schools can be found at: http://www.ednet.ns.ca/backtoschool/case-info
