Two Coquitlam elementary schools and a School District 43 learning services department have been noted as having COVID-19 exposures.
In the latest update from Fraser Health, Roy Stibbs and Smiling Creek elementaries are listed as having an exposure on Oct. 16.
As well, an exposure is listed for Oct. 15 and 16 for the learning services department, which provides resources and support to students with diverse learning needs and the staff, families and community agencies that support them.
This brings to nine the current list of SD43 schools and facilities with exposures, most of them happening between Oct. 13 and 16.
School District 43 spokesman Ken Hoff has confirmed that learning services staff work with children in person and via virtual meetings but that strict protocols are in place. "It is important to note that thse are early exposure notices from Fraser Health and no transmission within school communities has been reported."
According to the health authority, 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.”
On the weekend, Fraser Health updated its exposure list to include more dates for Kwayhquitlum and Pitt River middle schools as well as multiple cases across five classes at Port Coquitlam’s Oxygen Yoga and Fitness, which has closed down for 14 days.
