Coronavirus: Hundreds forced to isolate as Sydney school clusters grow
Hundreds of students and staff are isolating at home after a series of coronavirus outbreaks at NSW schools.
While confirming 14 new infections during a press conference on Monday, NSW Chief Health Officer Dr Kerry Chant revealed five of them are linked to Tangara School for Girls in Cherrybrook, in Sydney’s northwest.
Out of the five cases, four are students and one is a household contact of a previously confirmed case. Two additional cases, a student and a teacher, tested positive on Monday morning.
In total, nine cases, including six students, are now associated with the school, forcing all students and staff of the secondary school to self-isolate for 14 days and undergo testing, regardless of symptoms.
Students of the primary school must get tested if mild symptoms develop.
Dr Chant said the source of the cluster was unknown and remained under investigation.
Tangara’s secondary campus will close until August 24. The junior campus will close until Tuesday, but will re-open on Wednesday for students whose parents need to send their children to school.
Coronavirus case linked to Bonnyrigg Heights
A student attended Bonnyrigg Heights Public School in western Sydney for three days while infectious with COVID-19, Dr Chant said.
All students are learning from home on Monday as the school helps NSW Health trace the close contacts of the student and conducts cleaning.
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The confirmed case went to school on August 4, 5 and 6. The school is closed for deep cleaning and contact tracing is underway.
Last week, a student at the nearby Bonnyrigg High School tested positive to the virus. The school was closed before reopening the day after on August 5.
Kids’ Early Learning Quakers Hill Long Daycare Centre will be closed on Monday after a staff member worked while infectious on August 3.
An additional student, not included in Monday’s numbers, from Our Lady of Mercy College in Parramatta tested positive and will be included in tomorrow’s numbers. The school will also remain closed on Monday.
St Agatha's Catholic Church in Pennant Hills is also undergoing deep cleaning after a parishioner on August 5 and 6 tested positive to the virus, as is PharmaSave Pharmacy in Cherrybrook after an infected employee worked on August 6.
The worker, who wore a mask during their shift, was one of 10 new cases recorded on Sunday, with just one in hotel quarantine and two under investigation.
NSW Health has also advised staff who had contact with a Hornsby Hospital healthcare employee to self-isolate for 14 days after the staffer worked in the emergency department on August 6 from 11am to midnight while infectious.
The worker wore a mask at all times while in contact with patients and was asymptomatic at the time, but became unwell after their shift.
with AAP
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