Churchill High student positive for COVID-19 By: Maggie Macintosh and Carol Sanders Posted: 5:24 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 9, 2020 Last Modified: 7:14 PM CDT Wednesday, Sep. 9, 2020 Updates

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This article was published 09/09/2020 (2021 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It took only one day of classroom instruction before Manitoba had its first confirmed case of COVID-19 in a school building. 

Public health issued a notice Wednesday afternoon to alert the public of a positive case connected to Room 20 in Churchill High School. 

The case involves a Grade 7 student who was asymptomatic when the student visited the school for a “limited time” on Tuesday — the first official day of classes across the province. The student also took Winnipeg Transit on Sept. 8.

“The risk is deemed low as physical distancing was maintained while at school and a mask was worn on the bus and in school the entire time,” states the release, in which public health notes its investigation indicates transmission was not acquired at school.

School administration and the student’s cohort have been notified.

There are no close contacts connected to the case and no one has been advised to self-isolate at present, according to public health. Anyone who attended the site this week is asked to self-monitor for symptoms.

Winnipeg Transit has also notified the public that a potential exposure took place on Route 16 when the student boarded the bus at approximately 7:51 a.m. from the Graham Avenue and Vaughn Street stop to Churchill High School. 

The City of Winnipeg said in a release the bus has been thoroughly sanitized, employees who were in contact with the bus have been made aware of the situation and appropriate follow-up measures are being taken. 

“Obviously, it’s unfortunate that we have to so quickly be dealing with a case of COVID in one of our schools but we’re very confident in our ability to follow all of the public health protocols and recommendations,” said Radean Carter, spokeswoman for the Winnipeg School Division.

Carter said rigorous cleaning with a fogging machine is already underway. The school is expected to remain open.

Similar to all schools in the province, Churchill’s back-to-school plan includes strict stay-at-home protocols for anyone feeling unwell, daily health screenings, mandatory masks, physical distancing where possible and frequent cleaning and disinfecting. Manitoba Public Health is to lead all contract tracing and self-isolation directions once a case is connected to a school.

“Our school community and society are preparing for a school year that will be unlike any other. We recognize that our strength comes from our combined efforts and support for each other as we deal with the unprecedented circumstances before us,” Principal Ryan Hughes wrote in a letter to community members attached to the school’s plan.

Meantime, a health-care worker at the Northern Lights Manor personal care home in Flin Flon has tested positive for COVID-19.

While a single case of the novel coronavirus has prompted public health officials to issue a "critical" code red response at seven personal care homes in Manitoba, no such order was issued for the 36-bed home in Flin Flon, a Northern Health region spokeswoman said Wednesday.

"It is because the worker did not work during the infectious period, and because of this there was very low risk to the residents and staff at the facility," Twyla Storey said in an email.

"While the risk to the residents and staff at the home are extremely low, out of an abundance of caution, to assist with contact tracing, and to help stop the spread of the illness, visiting was restricted immediately and will be reevaluated as required."

Northern Health was notified Saturday the worker had tested positive. The worker immediately began self-isolating and is recovering at home, Storey said. Contact tracing has been done and close contacts have been identified, she added.

Meanwhile, 16 new cases of the novel coronavirus were reported by Manitoba public health officials Wednesday.

Fourteen occurred in the Winnipeg health region, with one in Prairie Mountain Health, and one in Southern Health.

Manitoba’s case total now stands at 1,365.

The current five-day COVID-19 test positivity rate is 1.3 per cent. There were 653 laboratory tests completed Tuesday.

Twelve people are in hospital in Manitoba with COVID-19, with three people in intensive care, officials said.

Public Health said a possible exposure to the virus may have occurred Sept. 2-5 at the Tim Horton’s at 3296 Portage Ave. in Winnipeg. Times of the potential exposures can be found at www.gov.mb.ca.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca

Maggie Macintosh
Education reporter

Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Winnipeg Free Press. Funding for the Free Press education reporter comes from the Government of Canada through the Local Journalism Initiative.

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Carol Sanders
Legislature reporter

In 1997, Carol started at the Free Press working nights as a copy editor. In 2000, she jumped at a chance to return to reporting. In early 2020 — before a global pandemic was declared — she agreed to pitch in, temporarily, at the Free Press legislature bureau. She’s been there ever since.

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