Sixty new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the Thunder Bay district on Friday.
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CBC News ·
Posted: Feb 26, 2021 12:00 PM ET | Last Updated: February 26
Sixty new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the Thunder Bay district on Friday.(Evan Tsuyoshi Mitsui/CBC)
Sixty new cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in the Thunder Bay district on Friday.
The Thunder Bay District Health Unit also confirmed one new death associated with the virus, but no further details were provided.
Of the new cases, 36 are due to close contact, two are at the Thunder Bay District Jail, eight have no known exposure and 14 are under investigation.
The Lakehead public and Thunder Bay Catholic district school boards confirmed they will follow the recommendation, starting on March 1, and will provide more details about the transition once they receive further information from public health.
Four schools Westgate Collegiate and Vocational Institute, Kingsway Park Public School, St. James Public School and Woodcrest Public School were closed for in-person learning this week after COVID-19 outbreaks were declared. Cases have also been identified at several other schools, including one announced Thursday at Ogden Community School.
Lakehead District School Board trustees earlier this week passed a resolution requesting that the local health unit and ministries of education and health allow them to shift all learning online. At the time, the board had 570 students –representing over seven per cent of its enrolment – and 55 teachers in isolation because of potential COVID-19 exposure.
Schools going virtual in Thunder Bay
Two-week virtual learning period recommended to begin on March 1 at all three school boards, plus the Thunder Bay Christian School.
Feb 25, 2021 2:10 PM By: Leith Dunick
THUNDER BAY Students in Thunder Bay will be going virtual, starting on March 1.
A source confirmed school board directors in the city have been sent a directive approving the move from in-class learning, and said they believe all school boards are affected.
A letter sent to all local school boards from the Thunder Bay District Health Unit medical officer of health Dr. Janet DeMille recommends all local school boards pivot to virtual learning. The Thunder Bay Catholic District School Board confirmed on Thursday students will not be in school for at least two weeks.
Four public board schools are already in all-virtual learning mode after COVID-19 outbreaks declared. Nearly 600 students are at home in self-isolation, representing 7.7 per cent of the board's overall student body.
St. James Public School pivots to online learning only
COVID-19 cases also detected at Ecole Gron Morgan Public School, Woodcrest Public School and the Lakehead Adult Education Centre at Victoria Park.
Feb 22, 2021 8:54 PM By: Leith Dunick
THUNDER BAY St. James Public School will be immediately transitioning to virtual learning after a new case of COVID-19 was detected at the school and was deemed to have been acquired within the school setting.
Single cases at three other facilities on Monday, including Woodcrest Public School, Ecole Gron Morgan Public School and the Lakehead Adult Education Centre located at Victoria Park.
The pause of in-class learning at St. James Public School will be in place for at least a week, starting on Tuesday.