COVID-19 outbreak declared at Lawfield Elementary School

A COVID-19 outbreak has been declared at Lawfield Elementary School after three students tested positive for the virus.

The school notified families about two cases on Dec. 4, and announced Monday that a third student is also infected.

Principal Tanya Tymkiv says public health has placed Lawfield in an outbreak based on there being two or more cases with an epidemiological link within 14 days, where at least one case could have reasonably been acquired in the school.

The Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) is "working with public health officials to facilitate contact tracing and manage the outbreak," she said in a letter to the school community.

The student to test positive most recently at Lawfield was among six new cases in Hamilton schools on Monday.

Four of those cases were linked to public schools including a student at Waterdown District High School, one each at Rosedale and Dr. Davey elementary schools and a staff member at Glenwood Day School.

Student cases were recorded at Waterdown on Dec. 3 and 5, but principal Theresa Sgambato says public health has determined there's no link between them, so an outbreak will not be declared.

New case at Catholic board

Hamilton's Catholic School Board has reported one more confirmed case of the virus.

A staff member at St. Mark Catholic Elementary School who was last in the building on Dec. 4, tested positive Monday.

"The case is unrelated to any of the earlier cases at the school," reads a letter to families.

"As part of its COVID-19 action plan, the HWCDSB will undertake a deep cleaning and disinfection of all areas at the school occupied by the symptomatic individual and will ensure all preventive measures are in place," it says.

As of Monday, there were 19 active student cases and four staff cases, according to the board's COVID-19 advisory page.

The HWCDSB has seen a total of 73 student cases and 15 staff cases so far during the pandemic.