Newbury Primary: School shut after student tests positive for COVID-19

A primary school in Melbourne has closed today after a young student was diagnosed with COVID-19, “almost certainly picked up in the community”.

A primary school in Melbourne’s north has closed after a prep student tested positive for COVID-19.

Newbury Primary School at Craigieburn closed on Friday and contact tracing is under way.

It is expected to reopen next week.

The case comes a fortnight after some students returned to school for face-to-face learning.

“The Department of Health and Human Services has recommended closure of Newbury Primary School after a confirmed case of coronavirus infection was identified in a student,” a Department of Education spokeswoman told news.com.au on Friday.

“Newbury Primary School will close for all students and staff for at least 24 hours, effective Friday 5 June, so that contact tracing and cleaning can occur.

“Further investigations are being undertaken this morning by DHHS, the school and DET to identify whether any staff or students are required to self-isolate, and to determine any further actions required to reduce the risk of infection.:

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Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton on Friday morning confirmed a prep student “who was at the school without symptoms late last week” had developed symptoms over the weekend and was tested on Wednesday.

DHHS was notified yesterday and the school shut today.

“That will be an inconvenience but it is a necessary measure for the close contacts to be identified,” Prof Sutton said.

Three new cases of COVID-19 were announced in Victoria on Friday however the other two are people in hotel quarantine.

Victoria’s Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton announced three new cases on Friday. Picture: James Ross/AAP

Prof Sutton said while the third case is a student, “these are community cases” and indicate “there really is ongoing community transmission” in the state.

“They have almost certainly been picked up in the community, they happen to be attending school but this is not transmission within the school and the risk of transmission in the school remains very low,” he said.

While it is at very low levels, he said, it appears to be concentrated to the inner north and west of Melbourne, from Keilor Downs through Fawkner to the latest case in Craigieburn.

“I want to specifically emphasise that these areas of Melbourne appear to be the hot spots at the moment and so people really from that inner west to inner north of Melbourne, metro Melbourne, really need to consider if they have symptoms to get tested, to isolate if they’re symptomatic but to also get tested,” Prof Sutton said.

In Sydney’s eastern suburbs last week, two schools within two kilometres of each other were forced to close after students were diagnosed with the coronavirus.

Waverley College was closed after a Year 7 boy tested positive for COVID-19 while Moriah College at Queens Park was also shut.

The student to be diagnosed with the virus had reportedly attended the campus on May 21.

Several Sydney schools have shut temporarily after a confirmed COVID-19 case since March, including Epping Boys High School, Normanhurst West Public School, Warragamba Public School, St Mary’s Senior High School and St Ignatius College, Riverview.

St Ignatius College, Riverview in Sydney. Picture: Supplied/Old Ignatius Union

“The health advice is very clear: a return to full-time face-to-face teaching is safe,” NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said last month.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison also warned parents “you will get cases” of coronavirus in schools as students return to classrooms.

“But those cases can be managed and those cases can be contained in a strong health system and that’s our focus,” he said.