VANCOUVER -- An outbreak has been declared at a Christian private school in Surrey, where 30 people have tested positive for COVID-19 so far.
Fraser Health said the Regent Christian Academy campus is being closed as a "precautionary measure," and that the school will switch to remote learning until the end of the semester on Dec. 18.
That closure should "break any chains of COVID-19 transmission that may be present at the school," the health authority said in a statement Friday.
Officials did not specify how many of the coronavirus cases involved students, teachers or staff.
A message on the Regent Christian Academy website indicates the outbreak began last week, and anyone who was in contact with a confirmed or potential COVID-19 case have been asked to self-isolate.
"In collaboration with the Health Authority, we have decided to close the campus for the week preceding Christmas break to mitigate the virus's potential transmission within our community," it reads.
"We will continue to make the safety of our community our top priority."
The school said it expects students to be able to return to class on Jan. 5, as previously scheduled, barring any changes to provincial mandates.
CTV News has reached out to the school for more information on the outbreak.
While there have been some signs that COVID-19 cases are decreasing slightly in B.C., the province has still seen an average of 662 infections per day over the last week.
The province also set new records for active cases and coronavirus fatalities on Thursday, when officials announced 28 deaths from COVID-19.
Fraser Health urged anyone who thinks they might be sick to take action right away.
"At this time, it is critically important for people living in the Fraser Health region to use the COVID-19 assessment tool and get tested as soon as you have COVID-19-like symptoms, even mild ones," the health authority said. "Please don’t wait."
