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Fifth Preston Schools COVID-19 case reported

KINGWOOD — Fellowsville Elementary was closed Tuesday so that the school could be deep cleaned.

According to a letter from Preston Assistant Superintendent Brad Martin posted on Facebook, on Monday the Preston County Health Department reported that a Fellowsville student tested positive for COVID-19.

“Health department and school officials have reported that the student has not been in school since Thursday, Oct. 1,” Martin said.

Preston Health Department Director V.J. Davis said in an email Tuesday that “The BOE has helped us identify possible contacts and we are in the process of investigating and contact tracing. The BOE closed the school today so they could clean and sanitize and to give us time to do our contact tracing.”

Martin said the closure was to allow time for “a crew to come in and deep clean all areas of the school and complete any needed additional contact tracing prior to students or staff returning to the building.”

Under the COVID-19 plan adopted by Preston County Schools, the health department will contact any student or staff members who need to quarantine or be tested for COVID-19.

Fellowsville Elementary, in southern Preston County, serves pre-k through fifth grades and has and enrollment of about 80 students.

This is the fifth COVID-19 case in Preston County Schools this year. A staff member at West Preston, a Preston High student, a Bruceton student and a student who attends school in Tucker County tested positive earlier.

Davis said that as of Tuesday midday, Preston County had five active COVID-19 cases.

TWEET@DominionPostWV