A secondary school has sent home its fourth year group in 10 days to self-isolate after a student tested positive for coronavirus.
All year 8 students at Lliswerry High School in Newport have been asked to self-isolate after a positive PCR test by a student in the year group on Tuesday. Students in that year will now have to self-isolate up until Thursday, July 22. Their self-isolation period ends on Friday, July 23.
Most students are due to finish the current term on Friday, July 16 and the Welsh Government has already announced that face masks in schools and self isolation for whole year groups will be scrapped from September.
Read more: Face masks in schools and self isolation for whole year groups scrapped in Wales
Year 8 is the fourth year group in Lliswerry High to be hit with a positive coronavirus case in the past ten days. Year 10 students are isolating until Monday, July 20 after a positive case was reported earlier this week, while Year 7 students are currently self-isolating until Friday, July 16. Year 9 students only returned to school on Monday after they were told to self-isolate last week following a positive case in their year group.
Newport council confirmed there were four positive cases which resulted in the isolation among these year groups.
A letter to parents and carers from headteacher Neil Davies on Tuesday said: "Unfortunately, I have been notified of a positive Covid-19 test result with a year 8 learner. In line with guidance from Welsh Government, Environmental Health and, Newport City Council all learners in year 8 will need to self-isolate immediately and remain in self-isolation up to and including Thursday, July 22. The self-isolation period ends on Friday, July 23.
"This positive test reported today was undertaken using a PCR test (the type of test taken at a drive through or walk in test centre). Therefore, this result and the requirement to self-isolate will not change."
Lliswerry High School and Newport council said they were unable to confirm the total number of pupils who are currently self-isolating.
Welsh Government is set to lift nearly all restrictions on people and businesses in Wales on Saturday, August 7. You can read the latest update on that here.
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