Two more Sheffield schools confirm positive Covid-19 cases

A further two people have tested positive for coronavirus in Sheffield schools as cases continue to rise on a daily basis.
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The Birley Academy has become the latest city school to confirm a case of Covid-19 in their school, while King Ecbert School in Dore has confirmed another positive test – this time a Sixth Form student in Year 12.

Health chief issues update on future of Sheffield schools as coronavirus cases rise

Parents and pupils were told of the news via a letter from each of the schools headteachers. The Birley Academy headteacher Gina Newton did not confirm whether the school’s positive case was a staff member or student. Unconfirmed reports claimed the positive case was a Year 9 pupil.

Two further coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sheffield schools (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images).Two further coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sheffield schools (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images).
Two further coronavirus cases have been confirmed in Sheffield schools (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL LEAL-OLIVAS/AFP via Getty Images).
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Her letter read: "We know that you may find this concerning but we are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with Public Health England.

“The small number of children who have been in direct prolonged contact with the confirmed case will have received an individual letter and will be staying at home for 14 days.”

Paul Haigh, King Ecbert headteacher, also confirmed a “small number of students who have been identified as close contacts of the case” are now self-isolating.

It comes as Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis announced the infection rate in each of South Yorkshire’s local authority areas has at least doubled in the past week amid a rise in cases nationally and particularly among young people.

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A Sheffield teacher has also claimed the school system is “not too far away from total breakdown, and school life crashing to a halt once more" under the pressure of trying to deal with the impact of coronavirus.