The COVID-19 cases reported last evening, June 14, are connected to St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary in Halifax, not Joseph Howe Elementary.
The clarification was made during the provincial COVID briefing on Tuesday.
“Late last night we wanted to make sure we get information out, but we weren’t able to do all the validation steps,” he said. “We apologize for that error.”
St. Joseph’s-Alexander McKay Elementary will now be closed to students until Monday, June 21.
The school will inform families about at home learning and updates will be provided.
Based on this new information, Joseph Howe Elementary will reopen to students and staff Wednesday, June 16.
Nova Scotia is also reporting an additional case of COVID-19 connected to Sir John A. Macdonald High in Upper Tantallon and an additional case connected to Duc d’Anville Elementary in Halifax.
The people were not in school this week.
Because these two cases came in after the cut-off for reporting, they will not appear on the COVID-19 data dashboard until Wednesday, June 16.
The schools will close to students for the rest of the week.
The schools are expected to reopen on Monday, June 21.
Meantime, Sir John A Macdonald will conduct exams online during the closure.
For all schools with COVID-19 cases, public health will be in touch with any close contacts of positive cases and advise of next steps, including testing. Everyone who is a close contact will be notified, tested and asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Out of an abundance of caution, public health is recommending that all students and staff be tested for COVID-19, whether or not they have symptoms. No self-isolation is required while they wait for test results unless they have been identified as a close contact by public health or have symptoms.
