COVID-19 outbreaks declared at Eastdaleand R.A. Riddell elementary schools

COVID-19 outbreaks havebeen declared at Eastdaleand R.A. Riddell elementary schools as four more cases of the virus were reported at public schools on Sunday.

Six students at Riddell have tested positive this month. A letter from principalDoug Trimble dated Dec. 20 said the Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB)is working with health officials to manage the outbreak and carry out contact tracing.

"HWDSB followsa detailed cleaning and disinfecting protocol," it reads.

"Please know that weremainfocused on the well-being of our school community and willupdate you throughout the outbreak designation."

Three students at Eastdale have tested positive this month. That outbreak was also announced in a letter to families on Sunday.

The four latest cases recorded with the HWDSB involve a student at Westdale Secondary School and one at Bernie Custis Secondary School,which has seen three cases this month.

A staff member at Norwood Park Elementary School has tested positive, along with one at Cathy Wever.

Cathy Weveralso saw two student cases announced on Dec. 19,though the school said public health had determined they were not in the school when there was a risk of exposure so there are no close contacts related to the cases.

Hamilton's Catholic School Board had 17 active student cases and eight active staff cases as of Friday.

The most-recent cases involve students atSt. Marguerite d'Youville,St. Thomas the Apostle and St. Joseph.

Staff members atJohn Henry Newman andSt. Thomas More have also tested positive.

COVID-19 cases have also been reported among students and staff members at French-language schools in Hamilton.

A staff member atcole secondaire Georges-P.-Vanieris infected, according toConseil scolaire Viamonde.

The list of cases provided by Conseil scolaire catholique MonAvenirshows a student case atS Acadmie catholique Mre-Teresa as of Dec. 16. Theschool remains open, but two classes are closed.

2 confirmed cases at Redeemer

Redeemer University has notified students and faculty of two confirmed cases as of Dec. 16.

Both cases are students, according to updates on the school's website.

One student was last in the academic building on Dec.15 to write an exam.

The other wasin the academic building on Dec. 12. Redeemer says public health is carrying out contact tracing and that both students, and their entire dorm, are isolating.

New case at McMaster

McMaster University says another student has tested positive for COVID-19.

The student was last on campus on Dec. 16 when they spent time at theMichael G. DeGroote Centre for Learning and Discovery, according to the school.

"All impacted areas of the building have since been thoroughly cleaned," reads a notice to the university community.

McMasterhas seen 15 cases of the virus since the end of August.