Three Catholic elementary schools in London have been temporarily closed because of confirmed or likely Omicron variant COVID-19 cases.
The London District Catholic school board confirmed late Monday night that St. Marguerite in the northwest-end, St. Nicholas in the west-end, and St. Mary Choir and Orchestra downtown will all be closed for the rest of the week.
"Since the cases affect staff in multiple different classrooms throughout the schools as part of their regular duties, this decision was made out of an abundance of caution to help ensure the health, safety and well-being of all students and staff at the schools," the board said in a statement.
The combined 1,300 students at the three schools will pivot to online learning during the closures.
Currently, St. Marguerite has five active cases, St. Nicholas has three active cases, and St. Mary Choir and Orchestra has two active cases. The Middlesex London Health Unit continues to investigate the infections and is providing advice and support to the school communities.
The schools are expected to reopen on Monday.
The closures were announced just hours after the health unit confirmed a cluster of 30 COVID-19 cases that are likely the new Omicron variant. The latest mutation of the COVID-19 virus was first reported in South Africa. The possible cases in the London-area are linked to travellers who arrived in the city from Nigeria late last month. The cluster has been tied to several schools, child care centres and a church on Dearness Drive, the health unit said.
The Thames Valley District school board is also investigating the possible presence of the Omicron variant at Princess Elizabeth Public in London and Delaware Public in Delaware. At this point, those two schools remain open, with only individuals identified as close contacts of the infected being asked to isolate.
"As the situation evolves, we will continue to take precautionary measures based on the guidance of our local health units to ensure the safety of our staff and students, which is our number one priority,” said Thames Valley Education Director Mark Fisher.
