COVID-19: Shandro and Dr. Hinshaw set for afternoon update; Two Edmonton high schools move online after cases spike

© Provided by Edmonton Journal J. Percy Page High School in Edmonton was locked down on Monday January 25, 2021 due to a COVID-19 outbreak at the school. All students have commenced online classes.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro and chief medical officer of health Dr. Deena Hinshaw are set to give an update on COVID-19 Monday at 3:30 p.m.

On Sunday, another 24 deaths and 463 cases were identified in the province. There were 9,511 active cases, including 3,299 in the Edmonton Zone.

Meantime, all students in two Edmonton high schools have moved online Monday after more than 30 combined cases of COVID-19 were discovered over the last week.

Twenty cases were confirmed at M.E. LaZerte, forcing about 300 students 43 staff to self-quarantine, Edmonton Public Schools said in a news release Sunday evening news. Another 13 cases were found at J. Percy Page, forcing 366 students and 17 staff members to stay home. In-person classes will resume Feb. 8.

Students across Alberta returned to class January 11.

Alberta Health recently changed its school outbreak classification to five or more cases confirmed where the virus may have been spread or acquired in the school.

Alberta’s COVID-19 school map showed four schools with outbreaks across the province including M. E. LaZerte School in Edmonton, Muriel Martin Elementary School in St. Albert, and one school each in Airdrie and Calgary. J. Percy. Page was not yet listed as an outbreak as of Monday morning but fits the province’s definition.

Nineteen other Edmonton schools had two to four cases each.

More to come…

lboothby@postmedia.com

@laurby