-- Rock County health officials are contacting those who may have been in close contact with students who have tested positive for COVID-19.
Two students in two different buildings ofthe School District of Janesville have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a letter sent to parents Friday.
In an email to 27 News, a spokesperson for Rock County Public Health Department said that more schools than just Janesville were dealing with COVID-19 cases.
Public health will not release the names of the schools affected to protect the privacy of students and staff, but did say both private and public schools were affected.
A problem with public health's reporting database prevented the agency from saying exactly how many cases had been reported in schools.
“There is no evidence at this time to suggest that any of these cases were obtained in the schools,” said Health Officer Marie-Noel Sandoval.
Parents of students that shared learning spaces with a person who tested positive may receive a letter from the school notifying them that their child was in a classroom or shared space with a positive person.
The letter will let them know if their child was considered a close contact and at high risk of having the virus. These students will need to quarantine for 14 days.
Close contacts are anyone who was within six feet for a total of 15 minutes throughout the day.
If the child was not a close contact but was in the same classroom or shared space, they will be considered low risk and asked to monitor for symptoms. These students do not need to quarantine unless they begin to develop symptoms.
“If you live with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, you should quarantine for 14 days and get tested 3-5 days after contact with the positive person or if symptoms appear sooner,” said Public Health Supervisor Lori Soderberg.
In order to protect the privacy of students, staff, and family, the names of positive persons, their contacts, and classroom information will not be released to the public, the health department said in a news release.
Individual school districts will decide whether to release the names of the schools.
To read more go to WKOW: https://wkow.com/2020/09/08/rock-county-health-contacting-those-who-came-in-close-contact-with-covid-19-positive-students/