Suffolk school closes after eight staff members test positive for Covid-19
Watch a report from ITV News reporter Matthew Hudson
Samuel Ward Academy, in Haverhill in Suffolk, has been forced to close after it was confirmed that five members of teaching staff had tested positive for coronavirus.
Following the school's closure, it was confirmed that three further staff members had coronavirus.
The school will be closed on Monday and Tuesday for a deep clean, and to allow headteacher Andy Hunter to determine what contact may have taken place between the members of staff who tested positive, all pupils and the wider school community.
Anyone who has been in close contact with infected staff has been contacted and asked to self-isolate for 14 days.
Further contact tracing will continue and more pupils and staff may be asked to self-isolate.
The school said that so far, it has had no news of cases among schoolchildren.
Staff at Public Health England and Suffolk County Council are supporting the school.
The school, which sits on the borders of Cambridgeshire and Essex, says it hopes to re-open tomorrow, Tuesday 8th September, and will notify parents by 5pm on Monday.
Dr David Edwards, from Public Health England East, said:
"Our aim is to protect the staff and pupils of the school and prevent any further spread. On this occasion, closure of the school for a day is required to enable contact tracing to be completed so anyone needing to self-isolate is informed before returning to school."
Commenting on the outbreak at Samuel Ward school, Matt Hancock, the local MP and Health Secretary, described the outbreak as worrying, he said:
He added: "Everyone is taking this matter extremely seriously, and I am confident that there are robust and effective measures in place at the school to keep everyone safe."
Old Buckenham High School in Norfolk will also be shut today after one of their members of staff tested positive for Covid 19.