Melbourne schools with active Covid cases
Case numbers linked to Victorian schools are rising, forcing thousands of teachers and students into isolation. Here’s the full list.
Education
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Eleven Victorian schools have so far been exposed to positive Covid-19 cases during the latest outbreak.
It has forced thousands of teachers, students and their families into isolation, with several still anxiously waiting test results.
The school at the centre of the outbreak, Al-Taqwa, has had 44 confirmed Covid-19 cases.
Last year, the school’s outbreak grew to 210 cases.
The announcement of Melbourne’s lockdown extension on Wednesday, has also created additional anxiety among parents, who say they are “struggling” to juggle home schooling with work commitments.
Russ and Ange Macumber, from Mt Waverley, who have been homeschooling their four children for the past year, said remote learning had been a rollercoaster.
“The kids are pretty disappointed that the lockdown has been extended … they’re pretty resilient but one of our twins, Coby, is really affected by it as he’s a really social person – it’s just really hard,” Ms Macumber said.
“It’s the whole mental thing from working, to not working, and to not having a routine – it can affect you mentally, as well.”
Experts including Professor Sharon Goldfeld and Associate Professor Margie Danchin from the Murdoch Children’s Research Institute say a comprehensive plan is needed with input from public health experts, educators and the state government.
Strategies include reducing class sizes, staggering lunchtimes, kids wearing masks, even in primary schools, cancellation of extra-curricular school events when there is community transmission, click and collect drop-offs and pick-ups to reduce parents coming on to school grounds, vaccination for teachers and a strong focus on better ventilation in school buildings.
AL-TAQWA COLLEGE
44 cases, including staff, student and household contacts.
The school has more than 2000 students and 160 staff.
The outbreak started after the Department of Health confirmed a teacher at the college had tested positive to the virus on August 4, with other positive cases arising days later.
ILIM COLLEGE
One case, a student.
The school, across all campuses, has 2000 students.
Ilim College confirmed to parents on Saturday evening that a student at its Kiewa Secondary Boys’ Campus in Dallas had Covid-19 and was on site on August 3 and 4 last week.
GLENROY WEST PRIMARY SCHOOL
Three cases, two students and one household contact.
The school has 305 students, more than 20 teaching staff.
It was revealed on Thursday, contact tracers had not yet discovered the acquisition source for mystery cases, which relate to three people who live in two unconnected households in Glenroy, including a child who attended the school.
AUSTRALIAN ISLAMIC COLLEGE OF MELBOURNE
One case.
The school has almost 1500 students and 135 staff.
In a newsletter sent to families last week, Islamic College of Melbourne in Tarneit principal Dr Abdul M. Kamareddine said the South East Public Health Unit was investigating a confirmed case of coronavirus that attended the college in July.
KOROROIT CREEK PRIMARY SCHOOL
One case.
The school has almost 1400 students.
In a newsletter sent to families last week, acting principal Alan Noye advised the school was closed to all students and community members until further notice while the Department of Health conducts its investigation.
MOUNT ALEXANDER COLLEGE
Eight cases, two students and six household contacts.
The school has 470 students.
The school in Flemington was declared a tier one exposure site after a positive case attended the school last week.
ST MICHAEL’S PRIMARY SCHOOL
One case, a student.
The school has 141 students and 13 staff.
St Michael’s Primary School principal Denise Hussey said in a statement sent to parents and carers on Tuesday that the school was closed until further notice to conduct contact tracing and do a deep clean.
ST ALBANS MEADOWS PRIMARY SCHOOL
One case, canteen worker.
The school has 350 students.
Stephen Crockford, principal at St Albans Meadows Primary School, wrote to staff on Monday to express his dismay that someone told the media about the school’s positive case, which was a worker in the canteen.
The worker, who is now recovering, was not at work while she was infectious but a number of students and other staff were required to test and isolate. They were all negative.
CHRIST THE PRIEST PRIMARY SCHOOL
One case, a student.
The school has 470 students.
The Department of Health confirmed on Monday that a student at the Caroline Springs school had tested positive for coronavirus COVID-19.
BACCHUS MARSH GRAMMAR
Bacchus Marsh Grammar closed as a precautionary measure on Wednesday, with authorities concerned about an infected student’s link to undetected cases in Caroline Springs.
In a letter to parents, Principal Andrew Neal, said Victoria’s chief health officer reached out to the school on Tuesday night, warning the school needed to close.
“As a result of emerging risks today, we are requesting the immediate proactive closure of Bacchus Marsh Grammar – Maddingley Campus,” a statement to the school said.
WESTERN AUTISTIC SCHOOL
A positive case used the bus service linked to the Laverton school. All close contacts from the school who travelled on the bus with the person who was unknowingly infectious are being told to get tested and isolate for 14 days.
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