COVID-19 outbreak forces Sudbury's Valley View Public School to close

Valley View Public School in Val Caron, Ont. (Facebook)

Public Health Sudbury & Districts has ordered Valley View Public School in the Greater Sudbury community of Val Caron to close until further notice after widespread COVID-19 transmission.

This comes after an outbreak was declared at the school on Nov. 30. The Rainbow District School Board is reporting 12 confirmed cases involving students at the school as of Dec. 9.

All transportation to and from Valley View Public School is cancelled and all students will transition to remote learning from home.

School staff will follow up with families to determine who requires technology and continuity of learning will be provided as seamlessly as possible, the school said. The letter is posted on the Rainbow District School Board's website.

"On behalf of the board and the school, I would like to thank staff, students, parents and guardians for their ongoing patience and understanding," said Bruce Bourget, the school board's director of education. "Health and safety, as always, remains the first and foremost priority."

As of Wednesday at 4 p.m., the Sudbury and Manitoulin districts have 363 active COVID-19 infections after adding 50 new cases and another COVID-related death.