Cluster of COVID-19 cases found at Victoria Elementary School
An elementary school in Victoria has seen a cluster of COVID-19 cases in recent days, according to Island Health.
A notice on the health authority's website indicates that a cluster was declared at Sir James Douglas Elementary School on Friday.
In the school context, a cluster is defined as two or more people in a school community testing positive for COVID-19 within a 14-day period, with evidence of transmission of the disease on school property and "no other likely source of exposure."
The Island Health website does not indicate how many people at the school have tested positive, nor does it share the dates of potential exposures to members of the school community.
Last school year, the provincial government required health authorities to post a public notification whenever someone who tested positive for COVID-19 was found to have been present at a school during their infectious period.
This year, that policy has changed, with health authorities no longer publishing information about every exposure, instead only providing public notifications when a cluster or outbreak is declared.
Every case is still investigated and those who may have been exposed to the coronavirus at school are still notified by public health officials, according to provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry.
"We've heard very clearly from people that the majority of people felt that the school-based letters were more anxiety-provoking than helpful," Henry said. "But we will absolutely be keeping the schools informed."
Since the change was announced, parents and teachers have panned the decision.
B.C. Teachers' Federation president Terri Mooring told The Canadian Press that not having information about what's going on in schools would cause more stress for parents than receiving COVID-19 exposure notices did.
“I think the rationale about exposure notifications is a little bit insulting," Mooring said at the time.
Parents have been tracking exposures in schools themselves, publishing the information on the BC School COVID Tracker website.
According to a notice from Island Health that was shared on the parents' website, exposures happened at Sir James Douglas on Sept. 8, 9, 10, 13, 14 and 15.
With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.