A total of 87 Chatham-Kent students across the Public and Catholic school boards were sent home due to COVID-19 concerns on Monday.
The Lambton-Kent District School Board is confirming 46 students were dismissed while the St. Clair Catholic School Board says 41 students and two staff members were sent home.
“There were 28 students from Harwich-Raleigh Public School and 18 students from Blenheim District High School who were dismissed as per direction of Public Health due to a probable case of COVID-19 in the school communities,” says Heather Hughes, the LKDSB’s Public Relations Officer.
The local Catholic board confirms their dismissals included 35 students and two staff members at UCC and six bus students at St. Anne in Blenheim. These removals are also connected to a “probable” case.
The Catholic Board’s Director of Education Deb Crawford says the “probable” case is a close contact of a confirmed case.
Although the number of students dismissed may be alarming to local residents, Public Health officials have confirmed that none of the active cases at this time (up to Monday at 2:30 pm) involve staff or students at either local school board. The three new cases reported on Monday also do not involve any staff or students within the LKDSB or SCCDSB.
Public Health is now in contact tracing mode, contacting families and individuals who are considered close contacts of the probable case.
“It is very important to note that if you do not receive a call from CK Public Health, you are not considered a close contact,” adds Crawford of the SCCDSB.
Both school boards emphasize that unless public health contacts families or students, there is no action needed. Schools will remain open.
Parents are encouraged to continue monitoring and screening children daily.
Public Health posted advisories on each affected school’s website. That advisory can be seen HERE.
Additionally, today’s report from Public Health indicates three new cases and one workplace outbreak. There are currently no public details in regards to where the outbreak has been declared.
However, Public Health officials say the workplace is not open to the public, and those who are close contacts have been identified, contacted and given advice by public health.
The three new cases are the only active cases in the municipality, and are all self-isolating at home. There are no COVID-positive patients in hospital.
Chatham-Kent has reported 374 total cases, 368 recoveries and three deaths.
![]()
