Murrieta High School Employee Tested For COVID-19; School Closed

MURRIETA, CA — An employee at Murrieta Valley High School who recently traveled to a country with a known coronavirus outbreak is being tested for the virus, prompting the closure of the school.

The closure will go into effect Monday and remain in place until testing of the affected employee is complete, according to a statement from the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

In addition to the school employee, "public health officials have also issued exclusion orders to 71 students instructing them to self quarantine," the district announced Friday night. The students may have come into contact with the sick individual and the order was given to prevent students and school personnel from becoming ill, according to district officials.

"While I want to reassure the students, families and staff at MVHS that the risk of transmission is low, I support the school district's decision to temporarily close the school until testing is complete," said Riverside County public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser.

District officials said the campus will be disinfected during the closure and their top priority is "the health and safety of our students and staff, and we take this responsibility seriously."

Officials expect to receive the employee's test results by mid-week.

In the meantime, the district said parents can contact their call center after 7:30 a.m. Monday to speak to district personnel and school nurses at 951-304-1795.

A positive test would be the first in Riverside County, which has thus far been spared from the outbreak.

City News Service contributed to this report.