Outbreak grows as the tenth COVID-19 case is confirmed at St. Martin Catholic Elementary School

St Martin school in Smithvlle Case grows at St. Martin Catholic Elementary School, with more confirmed cases today. (Photo credit: Niagara Catholic School Board website).

Another individual from St. Martin Catholic Elementary School in Smithville has tested positive for COVID-19, bringing the total number of cases from the school to 10.

“This case is connected to the outbreak. These individuals became ill during their self-isolation, and there is no further risk to the school community,” said a Niagara Catholic District School Board advisory.

Of the 10 cases, most are related to the initial two cases that defined an outbreak and one has been resolved according to the Niagara Catholic advisory page.

The first case was identified on Nov. 13. The West Lincoln school was notified of the second case on Nov. 19, meeting the requirement of an outbreak. The two cases reported on Nov. 23 were linked to the outbreak, but the two reported weekend beforehand were not. It was not disclosed if the cases reported on Nov. 25 were related to the outbreak.

COVID-19 in Niagara schools

The District School Board of Niagara is currently reporting 22 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in 19 of its schools, with seven closed classrooms and 18 resolved cases. All DSBN schools are open.

Niagara Catholic is reporting 35 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with 9 active and 26 resolved, in 17 of its schools. All Niagara Catholic schools are open.

COVID-19 in West Niagara schools

Detailed data as follows for each school board :

District School Board of Niagara

SchoolLocationCasesClosed ClassroomsSchool StatusResolved Cases
Dalewood French Immersion Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1
Eden High SchoolSt. Catharines22Open1
E.I. McCulley Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1
Ferndale Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1
Glynn A Green Public SchoolPelham01Open1
Governor SimcoeSt. Catharines10Open1
Grimsby Secondary SchoolGrimsby10Open1
Lincoln Centennial Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1
Martha Cullimore Public SchoolNiagara Falls11Open0
Park Public SchoolGrimsby10Open1
Port Colborne High SchoolPort Colborne12Open0
Port Weller Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1
Prince Philip French Immersion Public SchoolNiagara Falls21Open0
Sir Winston Churchill Secondary SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1
Stevensville Public SchoolStevensville
(Fort Erie)
10Open1
Valley Way Public SchoolNiagara Falls10Open1
Welland Eastdale Secondary SchoolWelland30Open3
Westdale Public SchoolSt. Catharines11Open1
William Hamilton Merritt Public SchoolSt. Catharines10Open1
Source: District School Board of Niagara

Niagara Catholic School Board

SchoolLocationActive CasesResolved CasesClosure Status
Blessed Trinity Catholic Secondary SchoolGrimsby01Open
Canadian Martyrs Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines0 2Open
Holy Cross Catholic Secondary SchoolSt. Catharines0 2Open
Lakeshore Catholic High SchoolPort Colborne01Open
Mary Ward Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls0 1Open
Notre Dame College SchoolWelland01Open
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls03Open
St. Alfred Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines02Open
St. Andrew Catholic Elementary SchoolWelland01Open
St. Charlies Catholic Elementary SchoolThorold01Open
St. James Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines02Open
St. Martin Catholic Elementary SchoolSmithville91Open
St. Mary Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls02Open
St. Michael Catholic High SchoolNiagara Falls03Open
St. Paul Catholic High SchoolNiagara Falls01Open
St. Theresa Catholic Elementary SchoolSt. Catharines01Open
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Elementary SchoolNiagara Falls01Open
Source: Niagara Catholic District School Board

School Board COVID-19 Online Trackers

Both Niagara school boards have online COVID-19 trackers that set out school data that parents can access online.

The District School Board of Niagara launched its tracker page at: https://www.dsbn.org/covid-19-information/covid-19-public-advisory.

It publishes a table of its schools listed alphabetically and tracks the “date of confirmed positive test” along with confirmed cases in each school, closed classrooms, and school closure status.

For example, the first DSBN school to register a COVID-19 case was Eastdale Secondary School in Welland. It shows the latest test date of Sept 18, 2020. It shows three cases and five closed classrooms.

The boards do not report who was infected, or whether the case relates to a student or staff member.

Niagara Catholic District School Board also launched its COVID-19 school tracker page at: https://niagaracatholic.ca/covid-19-advisories/

It specifies in a table the schools, active cases, resolved cases, Closure Status, (open or closed).