Senior pupils at high school in quarantine after Covid case

All senior pupils at a secondary school in the Highlands have been ordered to self-isolate following a single case of coronavirus.

On Friday, NHS Highland said it became aware of an S6 pupil at Gairloch High School testing positive for Covid-19.

The health board said contact tracing is under way, however due to mixed classes all pupils in S4-S6 have been advised to quarantine at home for 14 days from Thursday, September 17.

Highland Council told STV News there are around 65 pupils in the senior years.

In addition, anyone who travels on the same school minibus from Shieldaig – irrespective of which year group they are in – has also been told to self-isolate as a “precautionary measure” to prevent further spread of the virus.

NHS Highland said due to the “long bus journey to school each day it is very difficult to differentiate between those who have had close contact with this pupil, or only a passing casual contact.”

The pupils are expected to return to school on Friday, October 2.

All those unaffected in S1-S3 can continue to attend school as normal if they remain well.

Dr Ken Oates, consultant in public health for NHS Highland, said: “We appreciate that this will be causing anxiety, but we are continuing to monitor the situation and are working closely with the school and education service colleagues in the Highland Council.

“We would like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that the virus can recur even in rural communities and so everyone should continue to adhere to physical distancing guidelines, wear a face-covering when in enclosed spaces, clean your hands and surfaces regularly and immediately self-isolate if you develop symptoms.”