HALF of a Scots secondary school is off after at total of 16 tested positive for coronavirus, it has emerged.
More than 400 pupils are self-isolating following an outbreak of coronavirus at a school in Glenrothes, Fife.
Two days ago, NHS Fife reported four positive cases associated with Auchmuty High School in the space of the previous two days.
But head teacher, Alan Pithie said in a message that ten pupils and six staff members have tested positive for the virus..
Mr Pithie confirmed school attendance currently stands at “around about 50%”.
Latest HT update here...https://t.co/X1bbXeZQtT
— Auchmuty High School (@AuchmutyHS) November 17, 2020
Mr Pithie said in a statement on Tuesday: “At the moment the basic figures are that we have ten pupils who have tested positive and six staff members.
“The outcome of that is that 13 staff in total are either positive or having to self-isolate and over 400 pupils are also self-isolating at the present time.
“I would say that currently the school attendance is around 50% at the present time.
“This sounds an incredible horrendous picture and it is, this is an incredibly difficult situation to be going through.
“However, there are emerging facts that make it a slightly brighter picture.
“The really encouraging sign is that we haven’t actually had any more positive cases for the beginning of this week.
“And those pupils who tested positive last week were already self-isolating.”
Mr Pithie praised pupils for wearing face coverings in school urged them to continue following the protocols both in school and in the community.
Access to work is being provided online for pupils unable to attend the school.
NHS Fife said: “Where there is more than one confirmed case, this does not necessarily suggest transmission within the school and may relate to a sibling or household group, or it may be separate incidences of community-acquired infection.”
Fife is currently in level three of the five-tier Covid alert system, where it has been placed since Friday.
The number of schools across Fife dealing with positive COVID cases has risen to 17 - and two nurseries have been added to the list.
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