No Covid outbreaks in schools last week, official figures reveal

The phased re-opening of schools is set to continue next Monday, with the return of fourth, fifth, and sixth class, and fifth-year students. File photo: Larry Cummins

No new Covid-19 outbreaks were recorded in schools last week, according to official figures from the Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC).

Last Monday, 320,000 students returned to their classrooms as part of the phased re-opening of schools for in-person learning.

Full attendance also resumed for students at special schools who had been attending school on altered schedules since February.

Figures published today show that the HPSC did not record any new outbreaks associated with schools during the week ending on Sunday, March 6.

Ten new outbreaks associated with childcare facilities were notified during the same timeframe. An outbreak is classified by the HPSC as two or more cases. 

It says in the case of school outbreaks, transmission within the school has not necessarily been established.

Outbreak figures published by the HPSC relate to outbreaks believed to be linked to schools and are separate from the number of cases confirmed amongst school-age children or amongst staff.

#COVID19 Outbreak/Clusters in Ireland weekly report - focus on nursing homes and community hospitals, residential institutions, acute hospitals and an overview on other vulnerable populations https://t.co/hWAFNWorr8 pic.twitter.com/ltT3w1Zs1W

— HSE Health Protection Surveillance Centre (HPSC) (@hpscireland) March 10, 2021

A number of schools across the country were notified of positive cases linked to their school communities last week.

Positive cases amongst school children or school staff are followed by a public health risk assessment by public health experts which assesses the need for further close contact testing.

The latest data published by the HSE in relation to mass testing of special education and mainstream schools show a positivity rate of 2.4% and 2.9% respectively among the close contacts of an unknown number of index cases linked to schools.

This data related to the days between February 21 and 27, the latest data published by the HSE.

The phased re-opening of schools is set to continue next Monday, with the return of fourth, fifth, and sixth class, and fifth-year students.