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Outbreak status

Updated: St. Michael’s School put under COVID outbreak status

Mar 31, 2021 | 10:52 AM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Five cases of COVID-19 have been identified in individuals from a city elementary school.

Update: Alberta Health Services have announced a fifth case of COVID-19 at St. Michael’s School, placing it under outbreak status.

In consultation with AHS, the Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education has decided to close the school on Thursday, April 1 and will be waiting until after the Easter break to re-open.

Medicine Hat Catholic Board of Education announced the first case at St. Michael’s School on Monday and the other three Wednesday morning.

The school division says all close contacts of the positive cases have been identified and contacted, and are required to quarantine for 14 days.

A notice on the division’s website says St. Michael’s will remain open and all unaffected classes are permitted to continue.

“We will continue to work directly with and follow the recommendations of AHS” and “Our custodial team has completed an enhanced cleaning of the school to ensure that all areas have been sanitized,” the notice reads.

Based on Alberta Health Services’ classification system for schools, St. Michael’s School is on Alert status. A fifth confirmed case would move it to the lower level of Outbreak status.

In December, 25 students from a Grade 4 class at the school were ordered to self-isolate after a student came down with symptoms of COVID-19.