The Middlesex-London Health Unit (MLHU) will resume reporting school cases on its Summary of COVID-19 cases in Middlesex-London dashboard today. The update comes as the Health Unit works towards full implementation of the Province’s Salesforce case and contact management tool, allowing for additional and previously available data fields to be added to the online dashboard. Beginning today, COVID-19 cases confirmed in elementary and secondary schools and child care settings will once again be reported on the dashboard’s School and Child Care tab. Outbreaks in these settings will also be reported on this page.
MLHU transitioned its COVID-19 case and contact database to Salesforce on Tuesday, January 26, 2021. With the significant data migration to the new Provincial Salesforce system, some of the previously existing fields have not been available for more than a week. Adjustments will continue to be made in order to ensure that as many of the previously populated data fields as possible, are available soon.
As part of resuming its reporting of school cases today, the Health Unit will also be updating a previous COVID-19 case associated with the Montcalm Secondary School community. This was a case previously reported to the Health Unit on January 22nd, and not initially classified as a school case. Upon further assessment, the Health Unit has amended the classification of this case and will be reporting it as part of today’s online dashboard update. Although the case was briefly at school while communicable, staff noted the illness and ensured isolation protocols were implemented immediately. Because of the staff’s diligence, there were no close contacts. All appropriate measures were taken at the time to follow up with this individual. There have been no additional cases of COVID-19 associated with Montcalm Secondary School since the Health Unit was notified of this case on January 22nd.
“It is important that staff, students, parents, guardians and the community, have accurate information about COVID cases,” says Dr. Chris Mackie, Medical Officer of Health with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. “With the acknowledgement that this was, in fact, a school-related case, it is important to report it publicly and take the necessary steps to look closely at our procedures to ensure cases continue to be reported appropriately. I apologize on behalf of the Health Unit for the initial misclassification of this case as not school-related.”
The Health Unit will revise its COVID-19 school classification procedures so that any individual who is at a school while communicable will be classified as a case, and reported to the school community, staff, parents, guardians, and included on the Health Unit’s dashboard. For more information about COVID-19 and schools, visit: https://www.healthunit.com/covid-19-schools.
Media Contact:
Dan Flaherty, Communications Manager, Middlesex-London Health Unit,
519-663-5317 ext. 2469 or 519-617-0570 (cell.)
Spokesperson:
Dr. Chris Mackie, Medical Officer of Health, Middlesex-London Health Unit