Coronavirus: 50 Cambridgeshire schools report Covid-19 cases in one week

Nearly 50 Cambridgeshire schools reported cases of the coronavirus in one week.

Nine in Cambridge and 11 each in South Cambridgeshire and East Cambridgeshire reported positive cases in the week starting November 2, with another 14 in Huntingdonshire and four in Fenland, the county council confirmed.

A total of 40 staff and 441 pupils in Cambridgeshire were asked to self-isolate as a result of these cases.

A further 30 schools in Peterborough reported cases in the same week, leading to the 31 staff and 165 pupils self-isolating.

This week, Cottenham Primary School was forced into an emergency closure due to “rising numbers of coronavirus cases” and staff shortages.

On Tuesday (November 10), all 543 pupils were told to work from home until at least next week.

Headteacher James Kilsby said he was “devastated” and acknowledged the disruption it would cause to parents.

Also among those reporting cases this week were Stephen Perse Sixth Form and St Mary’s Sixth Form in Cambridge, Cambourne Village College and Monkfield Park Primary in Cambourne, which all confirmed at least one case.

At Cambourne Village College, Year 10 was asked to work from home this week and next.

Jon Lewis, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s director of education, said: “The safety of our children, their families and our school staff is, and always will be, our top priority. We are working with schools that have confirmed cases of Covid-19 around promoting good infection control advice and will continue to communicate with the parents and carers of those involved. The affected people and those that have been identified as close contacts are told to isolate, as per the existing process agreed by the local authority, Public Health England and our schools.

“Our school teams are committed to ensuring pupils follow the rules within school, and I urge parents and carers to do the same outside of school to help slow the spread of coronavirus.”

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