More than 200 pupils and staff in Perth and Kinross having to isolate as Covid-19 cases continue to rise

More than 200 pupils and staff are isolating across Perth and Kinross as the number of Covid cases linked with schools continues to rise.

Figures released by Perth and Kinross Council show that a total of 213 pupils and staff in the region have been told to self-isolate since November 18.

There have also been 18 positive cases of the virus in schools across the region in the  period between November 18 and 24. This is made up of 15 pupils and three members of staff.

Cases have been linked to 10 schools and nurseries across the Perth and Kinross region during this period.

Perth Academy has seen the highest number of new cases in this period, with four pupils and one member of staff testing positive of the virus.

“I feel that Perth and Kinross is managing the situation well, in schools and out of school, and tackling each incident as it crops up.”

Perth and Kinross council leader Murray Lyle

As a result, 25 people linked with the school are having to self-isolate.

This was followed by Portmoak Primary School in Kinross, which has seen four positive cases of the virus since 18 November.

The four cases were made up of two pupils and two members of staff and as a result of the cluster, 25 people linked to the school are now having to isolate.

Kinross High School has the highest number of pupils and staff isolating, with 45 individuals told to stay home in the same period.

The council’s  figures show that one Kinross High pupil has tested positive for the virus in this period.

Similarly, Crieff High School has 35 pupils and members of staff having to self-isolate after one case of Covid-19 was confirmed in a pupil at the school.

Both the Honeypot Nursery in Luncarty and The Community School of Auchterarder (secondary) have 24 staff and children isolating.

Across both campuses, there have been three positive cases in the period between 18 and 24 November (two at the Honeypot Nursery and one at the Community School of Auchterarder).

Similarly, both Rosemount Nursery in Kinross and Perth Grammar School have 17 people linked with the campuses having to isolate.

They have each had one confirmed positive case of the virus since 18 November.

Previous figures had shown that 124 people linked Perth Grammar had been told to self-isolate in the 14 day period prior November 19. 

This was due to 12 pupils and four staff at the school testing positive for the virus in this time.

The latest figures also show that both Crieff Primary and Perth High School also had one positive case linked with the school.

Aberuthven Primary School in Auchterarder had no positive cases in this period but one person linked with the school is having to self-isolate.

Increasing cases

Speaking last week, Perth and Kinross council leader Murray Lyle said he was hopeful the number of pupils affected by the virus would decline.

He said: “I feel that Perth and Kinross is managing the situation well, in schools and out of school, and tackling each incident as it crops up.”

The Perth and Kinross figures come as it was revealed that there were more than 3,500 pupil absences across Tayside and Fife on November 24 alone. 

A total of 3,568 pupils across the four local authority areas were off school because of the virus on this day.

This was an increase on last week, when a total of 3,352 pupils in Tayside and Fife were absent for Covid-19 related reasons on November 17.