All four Houston schools have been served with notices of a COVID-19 exposure occurring for the same time period of between March 1-3.
The notices sent to Houston Christian School, Houston Secondary School, Twain Sullivan Elementary and Silverthorne Elementary by Northern Health follow the receipt of positive test results.
Exposure to a confirmed case does not mean someone will become sick with COVID-19 but the notices do serve to indicate the virus is within the community.
Northern Health does note, however, that the infection rate among young people is low and that the risk of transmission becomes more significant if someone is considered a close contact and that contact has been for a prolonged period of time and was face-to-face.
The exposure notices come as all schools began spring break as of the end of school on March 12 with classes due to resume the morning of March 22.
And the health agency does ask parents and guardians to monitor children for symptoms for 14 days after the last possible date of a contact with a confirmed case.
Those symptoms include fever, chills, cough or worsening of chronic cough, shortness of breath, sore throat, runny nose, loss of sense of smell or taste, headache, fatigue, diarrhea, loss of appetite, nausea and vomiting and muscle aches.
While less common, symptoms can also include stuffy nose, conjunctivitis (pink eye), dizziness,confusion, abdominal pain or skin rashes or discoloration of fingers or toes.
While COVID-19 cases continue to be high in the Terrace area and have been soaring in the Prince Rupert-Port Edward area, cases within Houston and Smithers do remain relatively low.
The last available weekly count from Feb. 28 to March 6 was four for Houston and Smithers while it was 11 for Feb. 21 to Feb. 27 and one for Feb. 14 to Feb. 20.
More information on the definition of a high-risk close contact, can be found here: http://www.bccdc.ca/health-professionals/clinicalresources/case-definitions/covid-19-(novel-coronavirus)