A City of Newton resident has received a “presumptive positive” diagnosis for coronavirus, according to a letter published Sunday night by Superintendent David Fleishman.
The resident has a child who attends Horace Mann Elementary School. The student is following quarantine procedures outlined by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, the statement said. Fleishman wrote that facilities staff is working to disinfect Horace Mann before school opens tomorrow. The school is planning on opening at its regular time.
Early Sunday afternoon, there were 28 reported cases of COVID-19 in Massachusetts, the Boston Globe reported, 23 of which are tied to a Biogen conference that was held in Boston. One of these cases was confirmed by the Center for Disease Control—the other cases, including the Newton case, are considered a presumptive positive until the CDC confirms them.
Nineteen Newton North High School students and one current teacher are expected to remain home from school until March 16 after returning from a class exchange program in Italy. Julie McDonough, a spokesperson for Newton Public Schools, said that none of those students or faculty members have reported symptoms of the virus.
The City of Newton has formed an Emergency Management Committee to respond to the threat of coronavirus and has a page on its website to update residents about the virus.
