Toronto investigating first case of Omicron variant in a school
Toronto Public Health is investigating its first school case of the new Omicron variant in Scarborough.
Few details have been released, but officials say the case was identified at Precious Blood Catholic School, located near Lawrence and Pharmacy avenues.
It is not known if the case is in a student or a staff member.
Close contacts of the individual have been identified, officials said, and have been asked to self-isolate, check for symptoms and get a COVID-19 PCR test.
"Given the emergence of this new variant & the ongoing transmission of the Delta variant, it's more important than ever to get vaccination if you haven't already," Toronto Public Health said in a tweet. "We thank residents and our school communities for doing their part to keep each other safe."
Precious Blood Catholic School was closed to in-person learning in early November after 13 COVID-19 cases were identified. According to the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) at the time, 11 of the infections were among students and two were among staff.
Just under half were identified using take-home PCR tests.
The TCDSB website shows there is one active case in a student as of Dec. 3. The school remains open.
In a statement to CP24, the Toronto Catholic District School Board said they were informed of the investigation into a possible Omicron case Monday night.
“Students, staff, and any impacted individuals who may have been exposed have been asked to stay home and self-isolate. The school remains open,” TCDSB Spokesperson Shazia Vlahos said. “Students and staff who do not receive direction from TPH to self-isolate can continue to attend school based on the results of daily screening. We continue to work with TPH during this ongoing investigation.”
The news comes just hours after public health officials said they have declared an outbreak in six additional schools after two or more COVID-19 cases were identified and linked within those settings.
The six schools include Branksome Hall, Dewson Street Junior Public School, Michael Power Saint Joseph High, Holy Angels Catholic School, Maurice Cody Junior Public School and Prince of Peace Catholic School.
"We're carefully investigating and following our process of working w/our school community to notify close contacts & ask them to stay home, monitor for symptoms and get tested," officials said on social media.
As of Monday, Ontario officials have confirmed at least 13 cases of the Omicron variant in the province. One of those cases was reported in Toronto while three additional cases are in Durham, two are in Peel and one is in York.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Man arrested after allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Toronto police say a man has been taken into custody after he was allegedly caught trespassing at Drake's mansion in Bridle Path Saturday afternoon.
Wildfire that forced evacuation of Fort Nelson, B.C., caused by tree falling on wires, mayor says
The wildfire that prompted the evacuation of more than 3,000 people near Fort Nelson, B.C., was caused by a tree falling on wires, according to the municipality's mayor.
Eurovision Song Contest final kicks off after protests, backstage chaos and a contestant's expulsion
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest finally got down to musical business Saturday in the Swedish city of Malmo after days of protests and offstage drama that have tipped the feelgood musical celebration into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the war in Gaza.
Couple randomly attacked, 1 stabbed, by group of teens in Toronto, police say
A man has been transported to hospital after police say he was stabbed in a random attack carried out by a group of teens in Toronto on Friday night.
'I am angry': Alberta farmers will continue fight over world class motorsport resort
The rolling hills leading to the hamlet of Rosebud are dotted with sprawling farms and cattle pastures -- and a sign sporting a simple message: No Race Track.
IN PICTURES Northern lights dance across the night sky in southern Ont.
From London, to Grand Bend, Collingwood and Guelph, here are some highlights of Friday night and Saturday morning's northern lights display.
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with Maple Leafs, dead at 79
Ron Ellis, who played over 1,000 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was a member of Canada's team at the 1972 Summit Series, has died at age 79.
opinion How to use your credit card as a powerful wealth-building tool
Irresponsibly using a credit card can land you in financial trouble, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew says when used properly, it can be a powerful wealth-building tool that can help grow your credit profile and create new opportunities.
Which Canadian cities have the highest and lowest grocery prices?
Where you live plays a big factor in what you pay at the grocery store. And while it's no secret the same item may have a different price depending on the store, city or province, we wanted to see just how big the differences are, and why.