A private school in Victoria has become the second educational facility in Greater Victoria with a confirmed COVID-19 exposure.
Island Health said on the website that the exposure at the Victoria School for Ideal Education at 2820 Belmont Ave. happened on Nov. 16 and Nov. 17.
Island Health defines any exposure as a “single person with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection” who attended school during their infectious period.
It is not clear how many individuals within the school and the community-at-large came in contact with said person.
Cheryl Bloxham, spokesperson for the Island Health, said the authority does not release such details as per provincial directions for privacy reasons.
“All school (exposures) are just posted online and whoever needs to know at the school is contacted by our contact tracers,” she said.
RELATED: Island Health reports COVID-19 exposure at Saanich school
Island Health notes that being notified does not necessarily mean staff and students have been exposed to COVID-19.
“Public Health will work with the school and school district to ensure close contacts are notified directly and provided specific guidance,” the website reads. “If you do not receive a phone call or letter from Public Health, your child should continue to attend school.”
Victoria School for Ideal Education, a private school providing instruction from Kindergarten to Grade 8, is the second Greater Victoria school to appear on Island Health’s website listing educational facilities.
Lakeview Christian School at 729 Cordova Bay Rd. in Saanich recorded an exposure on Nov. 16.
As of Monday morning, eight educational facilities on Vancouver Island appear on the list, with five schools falling into the category of exposure, with the remaining three falling into the category of cluster. Island Health defines a cluster as “two or more individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection” who attended school during their infectious period. “The cases may be linked to school-based transmission.”
The eight school cases were declared during the last three weeks, with three archived cases going back further.
The school did not return a phone call seeking comment.
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