A second member of the Dover Bay Secondary community has tested positive for COVID-19, marking another exposure for the north Nanaimo school. (Kyle Ireland/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

NEW CASE

Dover Bay secondary school upgraded to COVID-19 cluster, Barsby sees first exposure

Nov 10, 2020 | 3:00 PM

NANAIMO — Dover Bay secondary school has reported its second exposure of COVID-19 while John Barsby secondary is now a new exposure spot.

A letter sent to parents by Nanaimo-Ladysmith Public Schools on Tuesday, Nov. 10 said the exposure occurred Friday, Nov. 6 and is directly connected to the previous exposure involving one person on Nov. 2 and Nov. 5.

The recent exposure is linked to a member of the Dover Bay community who began isolating over the weekend.

School district officials confirmed to NanaimoNewsNOW the person had not been at school since Friday.

The school district notified parents they’ll be contacted by Island Health if they or their child is considered close to the exposure.

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By definition, Dover Bay secondary is now the site of a cluster of COVID-19 cases.

Island Health defines a cluster as “two or more individuals with lab-confirmed COVID-19 infection who attended school during their infectious period. The cases may be linked to school-based transmission.”

An exposure event is defined as a single person.

In a second release, NLPS officials confirmed a separate exposure had occurred John Barsby Secondary School on Nov. 5 and 6.

The individual who later tested positive is also at home recovering and isolating.

Previous exposure events in schools within Island Health had occurred in September and October in Campbell River and Port Alberni.

In a video message on Monday, Nov. 9, superintendent Scott Saywell said even in larger centres, exposure events seldom lead to mass transmission.

“The measures in the Lower Mainland, like the measures we are taking here in Nanaimo Ladysmith Public Schools, are working and will continue to work, keeping our schools open and safe.”

Earlier Tuesday, the VIJHL’s north division teams including the Nanaimo Buccaneers and Oceanside Generals postponed games planned for Nov. 12 to 14.

The cancellation was in response to the initial exposure event at Dover Bay Secondary where several players attend.

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