South Yorkshire school orders pupils into lockdown over coronavirus fears after Italy ski trip

Hall Cross Academy has told pupils who attended a half-term trip to Italy to stay at home and self-isolate for 14 days.

In a letter to parents, school principal Simon Swain said: “I am writing to inform you that following advice from Public Health England, we have asked staff and students who attended the half term ski trip to Italy to remain at home and self isolate for 14 days.

“I can reassure you that we have no confirmed cases of coronavirus amongst any members of the school community and the above action has been taken as a precaution having taken advice.

“Students who did not attend the ski trip should continue to attend school unless they develop symptoms as detailed in previous correspondence.

“If your son/daughter does develop symptoms, they should remain at home and you should call 111 for further information.

“Your son or daughter should only stop attending school if they develop symptoms having come into contact with someone who has a confirmed diagnosis of coronavirus.

“The academy is well prepared to take preventative action if it becomes the case that a member of our learning community is confirmed as having caught the virus, and we will issue further guidance at that point.”

Pupils have recently returned from a skiing trip to the Italian city of Bormio, travelling from Bristol to Milan and stopping at a venue called the Hotel Capitani.

Meanwhile, three schools in Cheshire have been closed after pupils returned from school trips to Italy with flu-like symptoms, amid fears of a coronavirus outbreak.

Cransley School, in Northwich, Brine Leas Academy, in Nantwich, and Sandbach High School, in Sandbach – all in Cheshire - are now closed after a number of pupils returned from trips to Italy over half-term.

There are currently 11 towns in Italy on lockdown after seven people died from the virus and 229 others tested positive, with the lockdown focused on Northern Italy.