A private school in West Vancouver has closed a week early for spring break over coronavirus concerns.
Collingwood School, where about 1,260 students are enrolled at two campuses in West Vancouver, sent a notice to parents Monday afternoon, advising that a close contact of one family has tested positive for COVID-19.
The person infected with the novel coronavirus is not a student, member of their family or staff at the school, according to the letter from Head of School Lisa Evans, and health authorities have advised the risk is limited.
“We have no reason to believe that the family connected to this case has been infected but we wanted to act quickly to safeguard our community,” wrote Evans.
The school has been closed and all sporting and special events have been cancelled.
The school will be cleaned with bleach over the next several days, according to the notice.
No other schools on the North Shore have been affected.
Health authorities are telling anyone who has been to China or Iran in the last 14 days – or who has been in contact with someone who has – to self-isolate for 14 days.
International students are also being advised not to travel during spring break, as any student returning from abroad could be asked to remain in quarantine if a host family is concerned about a student re-entering their home.
