The Department of Education will, from now on, be publishing weekly summaries of the positive cases of COVID-19 identified within Government schools.

There have been nine positive cases of COVID-19 identified in Government educational settings in the period 23rd to 29th November.

One positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in each of the following schools: St Bernard's Lower Primary, St Mary’s Lower Primary and St Martin’s; two positive cases of COVID-19 have been identified in St Joseph’s Lower Primary and four positive cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Westside School.

The Contact Tracing team have liaised with staff at all five schools and the Department of Education and have conducted interviews with all relevant individuals. All individuals who have been identified as close contacts of the positive cases are required to self-isolate.

Close contact is defined as close proximity within an enclosed area for a period of time longer than 15 minutes.

The latest available information is as follows:

St Bernard’s Lower Primary

This is the fifth case identified within this school. 0 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 0 pupils) are required to self-isolate as a result of the fifth positive case as the individual was already self-isolating as a result of the fourth positive case identified within this school.

St Mary’s Lower Primary

This is the first case identified within this school. 0 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 0 pupils) are required to self-isolate as a result of the first positive case as the individual was already self-isolating for some time after having been identified as a close contact of a positive case outside of the school setting.

St Martin’s

This is the sixth case identified within this school. 0 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 0 pupils) are required to self-isolate as a result of the sixth positive case as the individual was already self-isolating for some time after having been identified as a close contact of a positive case outside of the school setting.

St Joseph’s Lower Primary

These are the third and fourth cases identified within this school. 0 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 0 pupils) are required to self-isolate as a result of the third positive case as the individual was already self-isolating for some time after having been identified as a close contact of a positive case outside of the school setting. 0 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 0 pupils) are required to self-isolate as a result of the fourth positive case as the individual was already self-isolating for some time after having been identified as a close contact of a positive case outside of the school setting.

Westside

These are the fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth cases identified within this school. 34 individuals within the school setting (2 staff members and 32 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the fifteenth positive case and all have been instructed to self-isolate. 32 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 32 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the sixteenth positive case and all have been instructed to self-isolate. 10 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 10 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the seventeenth positive case and all have been instructed to self-isolate. 18 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 18 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the eighteenth positive case and all have been instructed to self-isolate.

Individuals who have specific concerns arising from any of this information are asked to contact the relevant Head Teacher.

Parents are reminded that children and young people with COVID-19 symptoms should not attend school. They should stay at home, self-isolate and call 111.

Pupils in the above mentioned schools should continue to attend school as normal if they have not been contacted by the Contact Tracing Bureau.

Close contacts and siblings of pupils who have been asked to self-isolate should attend school as normal unless otherwise advised by the Contact Tracing Bureau.

ENDS