Loudoun School System Reports 10th Staff Member With Coronavirus

LOUDOUN COUNTY, VA — A staff member at the Sanders Corner Elementary School in Ashburn tested positive for the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, the Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) system said Tuesday. The staff member has been self-isolating while recovering from the virus.

As of Tuesday, a total of 87 people have tested positive for the coronavirus in Loudoun County, according to the Virginia Department of Health. LCPS has reported that 10 of its staff members have tested positive. One LCPS staff member has died from the coronavirus.

The Sanders Corner Elementary School staff member was last at the school on March 17 and did not experience any symptoms from the virus until March 25, LCPS said. Sanders Corner Elementary School has been closed to the public since March 11.

The Virginia Department of Health has updated guidelines going forward to define “close contacts” as people who have had close contact starting from 48 hours before symptoms appear.

Even with this expanded definition of a close contact to a person who has tested positive for coronavirus, there would not have been any risk to close contacts prior to March 22, LCPS said. Therefore, the Loudoun County Health Department said it will not be conducting a contact investigation related to this staff member testing positive, the LCPS said.

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Susan Rokus, who died last Wednesday, worked at the Liberty and Pinebrook elementary schools in Loudoun County. Rokus, 73, was honored by Little River Elementary School Principal Kevin Murphy in 2019 as one of the core leaders of the school when it first opened 20 years ago.

Here's a list of LCPS schools and facilities where staff members have tested positive for the coronavirus and the number of positive cases:

4 - Waxpool Elementary School

2 - Academies of Loudoun

1 - Liberty Elementary School/Pinebrook Elementary School

1 - Moorefield Station Elementary School

1 - Sanders Corner Elementary School

1 - LCPS administrative building

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• Loudoun Teacher Who Died Of Coronavirus Remembered As Dedicated
• Loudoun School Principal Tests Positive For Coronavirus