Several schools on Montreal's South Shore reporting multiple COVID-19 cases

A school service centreon Montreal's South Shore is reporting 15 cases of COVID-19at eight of its schools and learning centres, with three of them reporting multiple cases.

Five cases have been reported at Adrien-Gamache Elementary School in Longueuil, which is part of theMarie-Victorin school service centre (CSSMV).

On Monday, a mobile testing clinic was set up by Quebec public health for students and staff at the school. The CSSMV says 250 people were tested.

Students in five classes were sent home, and the school set up distance learning for them until the situation improves.

In a statement, the CSSMV says the number of cases in school coincides with an increase in cases in the community.

"Our priority remains to provide a safe return to school for all, and to ensure the continuation of our students' learning, while being extra careful about the current situation," the service centre said in a statement.

The other schools where positive cases were detected are:

• Charlotte-Tass Vocational Training Centre 1 case.
• Pierre-Dupuy Vocational Training Centre 3 cases.
• Lucille-Teasdale International School 1 case.
• Andr-Laurendeau High School 1 case.
• Grard-Filion High School 2 cases.
• Monseigneur-A.-M.-Parent High School 1 case.
• Vieux-Longueuil International School 1 case.

The CSSMV says its schools have been following a strict protocol of disinfecting common surfaces and enforcing masks and physical distancing in common areas (outside the classroom).

The service centre is also monitoring the situation at Laurent-Benot Elementary School, where Longueuil Mayor Sylvie Parent attended a news conference last Thursday. Parent tested positive for COVID-19 on Sunday.

The CSSMV says all sanitary measures recommended by public health were followed, and the news conference attendees did not have close contact with students or the teaching staff.

"So far, no cases of COVID-19 among students or school staff at Laurent-Benot havebeen declared," the CSSMV said.

According to figures releasedearlier Tuesday by the government, there have been 120 confirmed cases of COVID-19 among students and staff since schools reopened two weeks ago.

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