There have been five new positive cases of COVID-19 identified within Government schools.

One positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in St Bernard’s Lower Primary School; one positive case of COVID-19 has been identified in St Martin’s School; and three positive cases of COVID-19 have been identified in Bayside School.

The Contact Tracing team have been liaising with staff at the three schools and the Department of Education and have conducted interviews with all relevant individuals. All individuals who are identified as close contacts of the positive cases will be 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 fourth case identified within this school. 24 individuals within the school setting (2 staff members and 22 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the positive case and all have been instructed to self isolate.

St Martin’s

This is the fourth case identified within this school. 0 individuals within the schoolsetting (0 staff members and 0 pupils) are required to self-isolate as a result of the fourth positive case as the individual is from the same school group bubble as the second and third positive cases recently identified within this school and therefore has the same close contacts within the school setting as those identified for the second and third cases.

Bayside

These are the ninth, tenth and eleventh cases identified within this school. 31 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 31 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the ninth positive case and all have been instructed to self isolate. 40 individuals within the school setting (1 staff member and 39 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the tenth positive case and all have been instructed to self isolate. 3 individuals within the school setting (0 staff members and 3 pupils) have been deemed to have been in close contact with the eleventh 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