This story has been updated to include information from Theriault principal Yves Poitras.
Two students at École secondaire catholique Theriault are confirmed COVID-19 cases.
According to the provincial directory listing schools and school boards that have reported cases of the virus, the Timmins high school is one of four Northern Ontario schools with confirmed cases.
Most schools in Northern Ontario returned to in-person learning yesterday (Jan. 11).
In an email, Theriault principal Yves Poitras said the cases were not in school during the period of infection or exposure because of the Christmas break and extended distance learning period.
" Students and staff are therefore not at risk. Rest assured that there are currently no active cases in the school," he said.
The Theriault cases are not listed on the Conseil Scolaire Catholique de District des Grandes Rivieres website.
So far this year, the Porcupine Health Unit has reported 34 new cases in the region, 28 of those have been in Timmins.
The health unit does not report an age range or gender for local cases. According to the Ontario database, since Jan. 1 seven of the cases reported have been in people under the age of 20. The last case reported in a person under the age of 20 was Jan. 10.
There have been 164 confirmed cases of the virus in the region since the start of the pandemic. Of those, 125 are recovered and nine people have died. There are 30 known active cases.
Today, Ontario declared a state of emergency, the second since the start of the pandemic. Premier Doug Ford has also issued a stay-at-home order effective Thursday, Jan. 14.
The Porcupine Health Unit COVID-19 information line can be reached at 705-267-1181 or 1-800-461-1818.
There are COVID-19 assessment centres in Timmins, Cochrane, Iroquois Falls, Kapuskasing, Smooth Rock Falls, Hearst, and Hornepayne.
