A sixth exposure of COVID-19 has been reported at Sa-Hali Secondary School in Kamloops,.

According to Interior Health’s list of active school exposures, it was last Friday, Feb. 5. It’s not clear who tested positive and how many people have been told to self-isolate.

As of the last update last Friday, there were 16 confirmed cases among staff and students at Sa-Hali Secondary after five exposure events in the two week span between Jan. 18 and Jan. 29. NL News has reached out to SD73 for a update.

There was also an exposure to COVID-19 at Valleyview Secondary on three days last week, Feb. 1, 2, and 4.

Principal Barb Hamblett sent a letter to parents on Feb. 8 telling them a member of the Valleyview School community tested positive for COVID-19. It is the third exposure at Valleyview Secondary this year with previous exposures on Jan. 11 and again on Jan. 27, 28, and 29.

As has been the policy, school officials say if parents haven’t been contacted by public health teams, their kids are not at risk of developing COVID-19. If you have questions or concerns about COVID-19, you’re also asked to contact 811.

There are now six Kamloops schools with an active COVID-19 exposure – five within the Kamloops-Thompson School District as well as the private St. Ann’s Academy. Other SD73 schools with active exposures are David Thompson Elementary, Juniper Ridge Elementary, and Lloyd George Elementary.

After 14 days without any further cases, exposures are no longer considered active by Interior Health.

SD73 Superintendent Terry Sullivan told NL News the increase in exposure events are a result of the increased COVID situation in the community.

According to the latest update from the BC Centre for Disease Control, the Kamloops local health area saw a record 161 cases between Jan. 31 and Feb. 6, beating the old record 124 cases during the week of Jan. 17 and Jan. 23.

School District, Interior Health hosting virtual COVID-19 town hall

School District 73 and Interior Health are hosting a virtual town hall type meeting tonight, Feb. 11, from 6:30 p.m. until 8 p.m. to answer questions and address concerns about COVID-19.

Board Chair Rhonda Kershaw says it will be live streamed on Facebook and Youtube noting the session will feature questions that have been emailed in advance, but there will also be an opportunity for parents to follow up.

“We’re going to open up a portal, I believe it will be by email, but we are still working out the details,” she said on NL Newsday.

“If you have a question that didn’t get answered you can send that in and we’ll make sure that it will get answered for you and it will become a part of our frequently asked questions page which I think is a really important resource.”

Kershaw says the idea to keep parents and families as informed as possible noting its because we will still have to deal with COVID-19 for some time.

– With files from Jeff Andreas