VICTORIA -- Another Vancouver Island school district has cancelled upcoming field trips abroad amid the global spread of the novel coronavirus.
The Saanich School District has cancelled planned student trips to Japan and Europe "due to the possible elevated risk for students and staff travelling in these region," the district told students and guardians on Monday.
The district is also asking parents and staff who may be planning their own travel abroad during the coming weeks to realize they may be asked to self-isolate for 14 days upon their return to Canada.
The school district says it is working closely with B.C.'s health ministry and Island Health officials during the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak.
In cancelling the overseas trips, Saanich school officials join officials from other districts on the island that have already cancelled student trips abroad.
On Monday, B.C. recorded the first death linked to coronavirus in Canada and announced five new cases, bringing the provincial total to 32 cases.
All of the B.C. cases so far have been recorded on the B.C. mainland.
