Fraser Health has flagged another School District 43 school for a COVID-19 exposure as 32,000 students return to the classroom for their third week this year.
And an entire classroom is reportedly self isolating because of the exposure at the Coquitlam elementary school.
The health authority states on its school exposure portal that Nestor elementary has been confirmed as having someone on site who tested positive three days last week: Jan. 12, 13 and 14.
Meanwhile, the BC School COVID Tracker is reporting that the exposure resulted in an entire division being asked to self isolate for two weeks.
Fraser Health has also reported that Banting middle was flagged for an exposure Jan. 8 but SD43 is reporting that the listing is a mistake. It’s also not on the BC COVID Tracker.
The Tri-City News has reached out to Fraser Health for confirmation of the classroom isolation at Nestor and if the Banting listing is in error. The story will be updated when information becomes available. (as of 4 p.m. today, Banting had been taken off the exposure list)
Meanwhile, Coquitlam and Port Coquitlam area schools continue to report coronavirus cases.
One Port Coquitlam school — Cedar Drive elementary, on Jan. 4 — and five Coquitlam schools have been flagged for exposures in recent days, including:
• Mundy Road elementary on Jan. 4 and 5
• Meadowbrook elementary on Jan. 4 and 5
• Rochester Elementary on Jan. 5 and 6
• Harbour View elementary on Jan. 7 and 8
• Como Lake middle school on Jan. 8
School District 43 authorities are expected to provide the public with a COVID-19 update when the board of education meets Jan. 19 at 7 p.m. The public can watch the meeting via Zoom, and submit questions.
According to Fraser Health, a school “exposure” indicates a single person with a lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection attended school during their infectious period.
A school “cluster,” on the other hand, indicates possible school-based transmission with two or more lab-confirmed cases of COVID-19 attending school while infectious. Finally, an “outbreak” at a school means “multiple individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection” and that “transmission is likely widespread.”
