Coronavirus: Another west Auckland school has COVID-19 positive student

Another west Auckland school has seen a student test positive for COVID-19.

Sunnyvale School in Henderson is the third west Auckland school in recent days to have a student contract COVID-19. Henderson North School and St Dominic's Catholic College have also been affected.

In its daily update on Saturday, the Ministry of Health said the Sunnyvale School student wasn't infectious when they attended school last and no close contacts have been identified within the school community. As such, it remains open and safe for both students and staff to attend.

The student has an epidemiological link to an existing case and is associated with the bereavement event sub-cluster that itself is linked to the Mt Roskill Evangelical Fellowship church group of cases.

Principal Katie Pennicott informed the school community of the news on Saturday and confirmed that the school had been deep-cleaned. 

It's the third positive case to be confirmed in a west Auckland school recently.

On Thursday, Henderson North school was informed by the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) that a student previously considered a close-contact had tested positive for the virus. They are now in isolation and weren't infectious while at school. 

It backs on to St Dominic's Catholic College, which closed on Tuesday until Monday after one of its students contracted the illness.

Following news of that case, the Ministry of Health began working with the school to test all staff and students in the community. 

A health policy service in Henderson also had an employee test positive earlier this week.

The Blockhouse Bay school of Glenavon had a case confirmed earlier this week. The student didn't attend school during their infectious period and are now isolating with their family.