KITCHENER -- A Kitchener elementary school announced Wednesday that a COVID-19 outbreak had been declared after two positive COVID-19 tests were linked.
St. Bernadette CES first reported a case in a staff member on Monday. Two days later, another staff member and a student had also tested positive, the Catholic school board's website shows.
One of those two cases had reportedly been in "direct contact" with the first case.
"As a result, the Waterloo Regional Health Unit has declared a COVID-19 outbreak at St. Bernadette CES as an additional case has been reported from the same cohort as the previous confirmed case," a letter to parents read in part.
It went on to explain that an outbreak is declared when two or more COVID-19 cases are found to have the same origin.
The letter also said that a classroom had been dismissed as a result.
All high-risk contacts will be contacted by public health officials, the school said.
The Catholic school board has reported at least seven cases of COVID-19 in the last week, including the three at St. Bernadette.
There are also outbreaks at two other schools in the region: Blessed Sacrament had an outbreak declared on Nov. 17 after two people tested positive, while Centennial Public School had its outbreak declared after three cases were identified.
Track every case of COVID-19 in publicly funded schools using our online case tracker.
