Coronavirus Qld: Calamvale Community College on alert
As a Brisbane community college principal reveals two students are in self-isolation and that other students may have been exposed to a known coronavirus case, some children and staff at an outside school hours care program have been told to quarantine.
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The principal of Calamvale Community College has revealed two students, in Years 1 and 5, are in two weeks’ self-isolation as it was confirmed they are related to one of two 19-year-olds who returned from a trip to Melbourne and contracted the virus, causing outrage in the community.
Principal Lisa Starmer urged parents of children in Year 1 Echidna or Year 5 Kookaburra to get their kids tested if they had any concerns, in a letter sent this morning and seen by The Courier-Mail.
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She said the school had “no information” either student had tested positive but would keep the community updated.
Ms Starmer said the two young students are related to one of the 19-year-olds, identified as Olivia Winnie Marunga and Diana Lasu.
Ms Marunga is a former student of CCC.
“We have information that... one of the identified persons have family who attended school last week in Years 1 and 5,” Ms Starmer said.
In addition to concerns in Years 1 and 5, Ms Starmer also identified Year 12 students as a high risk group.
“If your student in Year 12 has had contact with (Ms Marunga) outside of school, as a precaution please seek a COVID test.”
OSH STUDENTS, STAFF TO SELF-ISOLATE
The Calamvale Community College warning comes as students and staff who attended the YMCA outside school hours care (OSHC) at Chatswood Hills State School on the same days as an employee who has now been diagnosed with COVID-19 will have to self-isolate for 14 days.
A 22-year-old female employee worked at the OSHC on July 23 and 24 last week and returned a positive COVID-19 test yesterday.
Metro South Public Health has today written to students, staff and parents of the service and said anyone who attended the service on those days will now have to quarantine for 14 days at home.
“All children and staff of the YMCA Chatswood Hills OSHC who attended on 23 and 24 July 2020 have been identified as close contacts and will need to be in quarantine for 14 days (i.e. until and including 7 August 2020,” the letter said.
However, there will not be a school-wide mandatory isolation for the remaining students, staff and parents at Chatswood Hills State School where the YMCA OSHC operates.
“MSPHU [Metro South Public Health Unit] is working closely with YMCA OSHC to assess the situation.
“No further actions are required from the rest of the Chatswood Hills State School community.
“As a precaution, MSPHU is recommending that the school is closed until thorough cleaning can take place.”
However, the community was reminded if they or their children or family are unwell, to isolate immediately and avoid contact with others, and if they develop symptoms arrange to be tested.
“Please be assured that the occurrence of COVID-19 does not reflect negatively on YMCA OSHC or the person, as anyone can contract this infection.”
CONFIRMED CASES HAS ‘FRIENDS AT SCHOOL’
Earlier, the principal of Calamvale Community College which was attended by one of the two COVID positive teenage women at the centre of southeast Queensland’s latest outbreak has warned the school community that the former student “will still have friends at the school”.
Yesterday morning, it was revealed two 19-year-old women, Olivia Winnie Muranga, a cleaner at Parklands Christian College, and Diana Lasu, had tested positive to the virus eight days after returning to Brisbane from Melbourne via Sydney, on a Virgin flight on July 21.
A third woman is under police investigation after returning to Queensland from Victoria and failing to declare her whereabouts.
In a letter to parents, Calamvale Community College principal Lisa Starmer confirmed Ms Muranga is a former student of the school in response to a growing tide of community disquiet.
“You are no doubt watching the news and are aware of the developments regarding COVID in our area,” she said.
“Olivia Muranga is a past student of CCC and will still have friends at the school, some of whom she may have seen in the last eight days.
“If your student knows Olivia or her friend and has been in contact over the last eight days, please begin your self-isolating procedure and seek a COVID test tomorrow if not tonight.
“Please take this most seriously and ensure that if there is any risk that your child has been in contact with Olivia, whether you have symptoms or not, make yourselves known to Queensland Health and have a test.
“I understand how worrying this is for you. CCC has taken every safety protocol into account today and returned to pre-July restrictions.
“Our community response is our best response and being cautious but not alarmist is important.”