Potential COVID Outbreak Investigated At Osbourn Park High School

MANASSAS, VA — A potential COVID-19 outbreak at Osbourn Park High School in Manassas is being investigated by state health officials, according to a letter sent to parents on Friday.

An outbreak has not been confirmed or posted on the state's outbreak dashboard. The system updates every Friday.

The investigation by the Virginia Department of Health is related to COVID-19 cases involving the school's athletics, Principal Lisamarie Kane said in the letter. The community had already been informed of the positive cases, and all of the people involved with the coronavirus cases are in quarantine.

The Virginia Department of Health has specific guidelines regarding what constitutes an outbreak in a school setting. According to the department's dashboard, an outbreak occurs when two or more people's infection are linked by a common person, event, or setting.

Last week, students at Osbourn Park High School returned to classroom for the first time this school year.

If confirmed, Osbourn Park would be the fifth public school in Prince William County to have an outbreak classified by the Virginia Department of Health.

Colgan High School, Montclair Elementary School, Fannie Fitzgerald Elementary School, and Brentsville High School had outbreaks this school year. They are all listed as "pending closure" in the state's outbreak dashboard.

"The health, well-being, and safety of the staff and students at Osbourn Park High School is of the utmost importance," Principal Kane said in the letter to families. "We have been working very hard to ensure we adhere to the mitigation guidelines outlined by the VDH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."

In February, Prince William County Schools reported a total of 305 COVID cases, down from 899 cases in January. "We will continue to be diligent in adhering to all recommended mitigation strategies outlined by the VDH and CDC," Principal Kane said.