Two soccer teams and 1,000 students are forced into isolation after a coronavirus-infected teenager played a match in Sydney and took a school bus as teachers shut the doors
- Two soccer teams and students on school bus have been forced to self-isolate
- St Pius X High School in Newcastle closed for cleaning on Thursday and Friday
- Teenager went to school in Adamstown in city’s west on number 26 school bus
- Schoolboy also played match for Newcastle Jets representative team in Sydney
- All of his teammates and the opposing team were told to self-isolate for 14 days
Every student at a Sydney high school has been told to self-isolate after a teenager tested positive for COVID-19.
The teenager also got the school bus on Monday morning, and played a local football match on Saturday.
Pius X High School in Newcastle north of Sydney has been shut for the rest of the week, and has told its 1,050 students and 140 members of staff to self-isolate until health officials determine his close contacts.
The teenager travelled to the school in Adamstown in the city’s west on Monday on the number 26 school bus at 8.20am from the nearby suburb of Hamilton.
The infected schoolboy also played a match as a member of the Newcastle Jets’ under-15s representative squad at Arlington Oval in Dulwich Hill in Sydney’s inner-west on Saturday.
School students at Strathfield Train Station in Sydney in May as school returned to classroom learning in NSW. Students who were on the school bus at the same time as the schoolboy will be required to self-isolate and get testing
St Pius X High School (pictured) in Newcastle north of Sydney has closed for cleaning on Thursday and Friday after a student tested positive for COVID-19
All of his teammates, as well as members of the opposing team, the Stanmore Hawks, are considered by New South Wales Health to be close contacts of the teenager and have been told to self-isolate for 14 days.
Students on the school bus at the same time will also be required to self-isolate and get testing.
‘NSW Health is still working to identify any further contacts or venues visited by the teenager, and additional updates will be provided as more information becomes available,’ the state government body said.
St Pius X High School said on Wednesday the school was working with NSW Health to ensure the relevant health advice was followed.
‘The school is temporarily closed for the next two days whilst a thorough environmental cleaning to NSW Health standards is undertaken,’ the high school said in a statement.
‘Further information will be provided on the re-opening of the school over the weekend.’
The schoolboy played a match as a member of the Newcastle Jets’ under-15s representative squad at Arlington Oval (picture) in Dulwich Hill in Sydney’s inner-west
Two women wearing face masks and protective suits wait to get into their taxi at Sydney Airport on Wednesday
A woman in the baggage hall of Sydney Airport on Wednesday as 12 cases of coronavirus were confirmed overnight in NSW
State member for Newcastle Tim Crakanthorp said he would relay any changes to advice relating to the case as he receives them.
‘I understand the concerns in the comments but as I’ve said in the post, I will let you know as soon as I have more information,’ he said in response to members of his electorate concerned about the infection.
‘We all need to take a breath in the meantime.’
A primary school in Sydney’s west has also been closed for deep cleaning and contact tracing after a COVID-19 case was identified in that school community.
All students and staff at St Margaret Mary’s Primary School in Merrylands were on Wednesday ordered to self-isolate after a COVID-positive case attended the school.
The Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta said it was supporting NSW Health’s contact tracing efforts.
Meanwhile, state Health Minister Brad Hazzard says he understands why Queensland has banned travellers from NSW, as clusters continue to grow.
‘I think every state and territory government has its prime interest in looking after its citizens, its residents, and that’s what it should do. Whether or not we like the decision that Queensland has made is a matter for the Queensland government,’ he told the ABC.
New South Wales on Wednesday recorded 12 overnight coronavirus cases, with just one infection in hotel quarantine.
NSW Health said one COVID-19 case reported on Wednesday was locally acquired from an unknown source, the fourth in just five days – with many more believed to be ‘under investigation’.
‘While most cases in the past week have been associated with local clusters and close contact with known cases, some have not been linked to known cases,’ NSW Health said in a statement.