Just under half of COVID-19 cases at closed Toronto school found using take-home tests

TORONTO -

Six of 13 COVID-19 cases at a Scarborough elementary school that was forced to close to in-person learning this week were identified using take-home PCR tests.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) said that infections were found at Precious Blood Catholic School, located in the Pharmacy Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East area, starting around Nov. 1.

Midway through last week, take-home testing kits were provided to the school board. Shazia Vlahos, Chief of Communications and Government Relations for the TCDSB, told CP24 on Monday that a number of kits were returned over the weekend.

"There was an additional six students that tested positive, which led to the decision by Toronto Public Health to temporarily dismiss the school today," Vlahos, said.

Vlahos said the school could be closed for up to 14 days depending on the outcome of the investigation.

The temporary dismissal was announced by Toronto Public Health on Sunday evening, saying that the school would be closed to in-person learning as of Nov. 8.

“We received additional lab results this afternoon and are recommending a whole school dismissal as a precautionary measure to protect staff, students and the community from further COVID-19 transmission within the school,” TPH tweeted at the time.

“We will work closely with our school partners to determine when in-person learning will resume.”

As of Sunday night, 11 infections were confirmed in students and two were identified in staff members.

Vlahos said that more take-home tests are available at the school and that parents are encouraged to come by on Monday to pick one up.

"They are PCR saliva kits. Those can be done at home and then dropped off at the school and then collected by our testing partner," she said. "If you don't want to do it through the testing kid you can go to an assessment center and also get tested there as well."

Public health officials have repeatedly insisted that symptom screening and other measures have been effecting at keeping positive cases out of the classroom, with Vlahos adding that she has noticed a "steady decrease of cases" in schools.

However, the discovery of additional infections in testing suggests that some asymptomatic cases may be going undetected.

The 380 students who attend the school are continuing their learning virtually at home.