All staff and pupils at Kingspark School in Dundee told to self-isolate

It was closed on Wednesday evening for deep cleaning after a number of adults linked to the site tested positive for the virus.

Kingspark Dundee @ Google
Published 21st Aug 2020
Last updated 21st Aug 2020

All staff and pupils at a school connected to a coronavirus cluster have been told to self-isolate after 12 cases were confirmed.

Kingspark School in Dundee was closed on Wednesday evening for deep cleaning after a number of adults linked to the site tested positive for the virus.

NHS Tayside said connected households are being asked to self-isolate "given the complex health conditions of the pupils who attend Kingspark''.

Staff have been told to self-isolate for 14 days from the date they were last in the school while pupils and their households must self-isolate for 14 days from Thursday August 20.

Dr Ellie Hothersall, NHS Tayside public health medicine consultant, said: "Due to the complex needs of the pupils and the very close proximity of care required, the situation at the school is highly complex.

"We are therefore taking the precaution at this time of advising that all staff self-isolate for 14 days from the date they were last on site.

"Additionally, we ask all pupils and their households to self-isolate for 14 days from Thursday 20 August.

"Guidance has also been shared with the families on what this means for them and how they will be supported.''

Paul Clancy, Dundee City Council executive director, said: "I would like to reassure families that this action is being taken to keep everyone safe.

"This is our paramount concern and we cannot be complacent.''

Meanwhile a 10th crew member of a fishing vessel connected to a cluster in Orkney has tested positive for Covid-19.

The crew member is in isolation on the mainland, where he lives, and is being monitored by the health board there, according to NHS Orkney.

Dr Louise Wilson said the incident management team (IMT) would meet again when there was new information to report.

She added: "All contacts of those involved in this cluster have now been traced but we will continue to monitor the situation.''

The public health director for Orkney also warned residents "not to become complacent'', with near neighbour Aberdeen still in lockdown.

Elsewhere a Japanese restaurant in Glasgow city centre has been contacted as part of routine contact tracing.

Sapporo Teppanyaki said in a post on Instagram it had been informed of a "confirmed case of Covid-19 in the restaurant from the start of August'' and has temporarily closed.

Dr Linda de Caestecker, of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, said: "All relevant public health measures are in place and our public health team are working with the venues to monitor the situation.

"We would ask staff, and customers who have been in the venue recently, to be aware of the symptoms of a fever, persistent cough or loss of taste or smell.

"If concerned they need to self-isolate immediately and book a test for Covid-19.''

The health board also confirmed contact tracing was taking place in a further three schools in the region - Castlehead High School, Paisley; Knightswood Primary, Knightswood; and St Andrews Secondary in north-east Glasgow.

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