DUNROBIN – Only hours apart, West Carleton Secondary School has confirmed a second student case of COVID-19.

Yesterday (Oct. 26), West Carleton Online reported on the first confirmed case. Later that same evening at 6:30 p.m., WCSS Principal Shannon Adams sent a second letter to parents and guardians obtained by West Carleton Online.

“I have been asked to forward a message to you from Ottawa Public Health (OPH) regarding a second reported positive COVID-19 case, not connected to our first,” Adams wrote in the letter. “We have been working closely with OPH to help with their contact tracing efforts and to ensure the safety of all our students and staff. Staff and students deemed high-risk contacts by OPH have already been contacted and advised.”

OCDSB communications coordinator Darcy Knoll replied to an email from West Carleton Online originally directed to WCSS’ principal.

“Since the weekend, there have been two confirmed cases of COVID-19 at West Carleton,” Knoll said. “These cases are unrelated. The school team has worked closely with OPH to notify the community and identify and reach anyone identified as a high risk contact.

Students who were not identified as high risk contacts can go to school, Knoll said. They do not need to self-isolate or get tested.

Meanwhile, WCSS staff are ensuring the high school remains safe for students and staff.

“In response to these cases, school staff have deep cleaned the classrooms, washrooms and other areas the individuals may have had contact,” Knoll said. “All staff have been working hard at following and enforcing OPH and OCDSB protocols in order to keep the risk of virus transmission at the school as low as possible.”

The OCDSB COVID-19 dashboard was last updated yesterday at 4:30 p.m., two hours before Adams sent his letter to parents. At that time, the new WCSS case had not been registered but the dashboard does report three new student cases (45 total) boardwide and one new staff case (12 in total) since yesterday (Oct. 26). One more case has been resolved as well bringing that total to 68.