2 classrooms shut down after 2 kids test positive at Yellowknife elementary school

A pair of classrooms have been shut down at Weledeh Catholic School in Yellowknife after two children tested positive for COVID-19, according to N.W.T. public health officials.

A letter addressed to parents on Yellowknife Catholic School's websitesaid students in those classes are required to self-isolate for ten days. It does not say which classrooms are impacted.

"School administration has contacted families of the students in the two affected classrooms," said the Office of the Chief Public Health Officer (OCPHO) in a statementSunday morning.

Public health is recommending COVID-19 testing for all students are isolating, but saidstudents who were not in the affected classrooms do not need to isolate because masking and other public health measures in place have reduced the risk of transmission.

"At present, there is no known transmission of COVID-19 at the school," said the OCPHO. "In these instances, transmission did not occur at the school sothis situation is not classified as an outbreak."

The OCPHOannounced an outbreak Friday at the attached secondary school cole St. Patrick High School after three more people tested positive for COVID-19 there.

The letter to parents signed by Yellowknife School Board Superintendent Simone Gessler, said classes at Weledeh will continue Wednesday for students who are not self-isolating.