(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - Ketchikan Gateway Borough School District has been notified of five positive COVID-19 cases of individuals who attended the wrestling tournament held at Ketchikan High School on April 23 and 24, and one individual who attended the Ketchikan High prom and parent-sponsored after prom party held on April 24, 2021.

According to Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center's Public Information Officer Kacie Paxton, Public Health, District Nursing Staff, and Coaching Staff, are working together to identify close contacts and will reach out to anyone identified as a close contact and instruct them to quarantine. As of today, the contact tracing has been mostly completed and will be finalized within the next 24 hours. 

Ketchikan High School will be closed Wednesday, April 28, with remote learning schedule in place. All activities, practices, and after-school events are cancelled for today and Wednesday.  The Public Health Teen Vaccination Clinic will still occur Tuesday and Wednesday as scheduled.

The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center encourages anyone who attended the wrestling tournament, Senior prom, or the parent-sponsored prom after-party, to monitor for symptoms and cooperate fully with Public Health, the District Nursing Staff, or Coaching staff, should you be contacted by them. If you are notified that you are a close contact to a known positive, follow the directives for quarantine and testing. 

These strategies, in addition to getting vaccinated, will help the Ketchikan School District be able to finish out the school year with as much on-site learning and activities as possible.

District staff has sent a letter with additional information to Ketchikan High School families. 

The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center appreciates all the efforts of our staff, parents, and students during this time. A special thank you was extended to the District Nurse, Principals, and Public Health for the extra time taken to ensure Ketchikan schools are safe and healthy.

The Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center has increased Ketchikan's Community Risk Level to MODERATE (April 27, 2021).

On the Web:

Current Information from Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center

Ketchikan Risk Dashboard

Edited By Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Ketchikan Emergency Operations Center
https://www.kgbak.us/913/COVID-19-Response

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