Lower Merion Schools Closed Tuesday After Possible Exposure

LOWER MERION TOWNSHIP, PA — All Lower Merion Township Schools will be closed Tuesday as two students and a staff member may have been exposed to the novel coronavirus during visits to the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia facility in King of Prussia, the district said Monday.

According to the Lower Merion School District, all schools in the district will be closed Tuesday for sanitizing.

Tuesday's cleaning effort is in addition to increased cleaning protocols the district put in place due to the illness.

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The district said special attention will be given to public spaces and high-touch surfaces, such as keyboards, railings, door handles, and more contact prone surfaces.

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The students and staffer may have been in contact with a healthcare provider at the King of Prussia CHOP facility who has been diagnosed coronavirus, known as COVID-19.

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Those students and staff member are under quarantine for 14 days.

The district said the students and staff member do not pose a risk to transmit the illness, according to the CDC.

The distict laid out its plans in the event of a COVID-19 outbreak in its community. See details on the district's plans here.

Montgomery County officials said Saturday that two people in the county have presumed cases of the illness, then on Sunday said two Lower Merion Township residents have presumed cases.

As of Monday, Pennsylvania has 10 presumed cases of the illness, seven of which are in Montgomery County.

One is in Delaware County, one is in Monroe County, and another in Wayne County.

Three patients are hospitalized, the others are quarantined, officials said. One of the patients in Montgomery County is in critical condition.

All of the cases as of Monday are travel related, Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine said during a Monday press conference. She said the department fully expects community spread of the disease, however.

The positives are considered "presumptive cases," which means the state has identified COVID-19 but is waiting on more tests from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are more than 500 cases in the United States and 110,000 worldwide. The virus has accounted for 3,800 deaths globally.

President Donald Trump Friday signed an $8.3 billion measure that the U.S. Senate approved Thursday to tackle the new coronavirus outbreak, which surged to more than 100,000 confirmed cases overnight into Friday.

A lab in Chester County begun testing for the virus last week. The CDC said in late January that it would be screening passengers at the Philadelphia International Airport for the illness.

According to Pennsylvania health officials, travelers who are self-monitoring their health and practicing social distancing should:

• Take your temperature with a thermometer twice day and monitor for fever. Also watch for cough or trouble breathing.
• Stay home and avoid contact with others. Do not go to work or school for this 14-day period.
• If you must leave your home, do not take public transportation, taxis or ride-shares during the time you are practicing social distancing.
• If you must leave your home, avoid crowded places (such as shopping centers and movie theaters) and limit your activities in public.
• Keep your distance from others (about 6 feet or 2 meters).

Pennsylvanians are encouraged to help stop the spread of viruses by:

• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or your sleeve (not your hands) when coughing or sneezing.
• Clean surfaces frequently, including countertops, light switches, cell phones and other frequently touched items.
• If you are sick, stay home and avoid contact with others.

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