Coronavirus Cases Prompted Temporary Closure Of Darien HS: Update

DARIEN, CT — Darien High School is on a remote learning schedule Thursday, district officials said, "due to the need for Covid-19 contact tracing" following recent positive coronavirus tests among members the school's community. The high school was scheduled to reopen on Friday.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, district officials said there were three positive coronavirus patients in the school system, 16 people were under quarantine and four unnamed district sites were impacted.

The Stamford Advocate writes that one of the positive cases was reported at the high school, and one was reported at Holmes School.

On Thursday, the number of infected people in the school district had risen to four, and 54 people were under quarantine, officials said.

Among those under quarantine was Paula Bleakley, principal of Holmes School, writes the Darien Times.

Parents reportedly were notified of the positive tests via email, and high school parents learned of Thursday's full remote learning schedule in an automated call early Thursday.

Connecticut is in the midst of an increase in coronavirus cases, with several hundred new cases reported statewide in the past few days, according to state health officials.

On Thursday, Norwalk and Fairfield were placed on "red alert" status by Gov. Ned Lamont and state health officials. A town falls under red alert when its daily coronavirus case average goes above 15 cases per 100,000 people.

In Darien, seven new coronavirus cases were reported in town between Oct 13 and Oct. 21, according to town health officials.