2 Wellesley Schools Close Early, Parent Positive For Coronavirus

WELLESLEY, MA — Wellesley school officials dismissed classes in two schools early on Friday after a parent tested positive for the new Coronavirus. According to an email sent to parents and the school community, the parent had students at both the Upham Elementary School and Wellesley Middle School.

The email said the children are not showing any symptoms and the dismissal of the Upham and Wellesley schools was out of an abundance of caution. "We have made the proactive decision to release students early at Upham and WMS in order to fully clean and sanitize both buildings."

Wellesley police said the parent is isolated at home and that the Wellesley Health Department is continuing to work closely with Wellesley Public Schools, Town officials and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (Mass DPH) on the issue.

All other Wellesley public schools are scheduled to finish the day as normal.

There has been one confirmed cases of the virus in Massachusetts so far, the Massachusetts Department of Health did not confirm the Wellesley case yet.

The Massachusetts DPH said there are seven presumptive positive cases in the state, as of Friday afternoon.

The age of the parent and gender have not been revealed.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available. More information about COVID-19 and how to stay healthy can be found on the CDC website.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Wellesley schools aren't the first to close due to COVID-19, a charter school in Malden announced it will close next week as a precaution. Colleges and schools across the state have asked students coming back from trips abroad to temporarily self-quarantine until they are certain they are not showing symptoms.

Several schools have canceled trips abroad, specifically to countries like Italy, that have been hard hit by the virus and are experiencing widespread, sustained ongoing transmission of the virus. Patch is keeping up to date on changes in the virus' status across the country.

Patch will update this story.

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