Update from Wilton Health Director Regarding Outbreak of COVID-19 at WHS

The following report is provided by Wilton Health Director Barry Bogle regarding the Wilton Health Department’s investigation of the recent COVID-19 outbreak among Wilton High School students due to weekend gatherings. 

Positive Case Findings, as of January 26^th at 3:00 p.m.:

• 16 attendees, all WHS students, confirmed positive and currently under isolation. 
• 3 WHS students, who did not attend, but had direct contact with attendees,  confirmed positive and also under isolation.  
• 1 Middlebrook student, who did not attend, but had direct contact with attendees, confirmed positive and currently under isolation. 
• 1  Cider Mill student, who did not attend, but had direct contact with attendees, confirmed positive and currently under isolation 
• 4 non school-aged persons, who did not attend, but had direct contact with attendees, confirmed positive and also under isolation.  
• 1 attendee under quarantine pending test results.   

In total, 25 known confirmed positive cases associated with the weekend gatherings, with 1 test pending.

Contact Tracing Status:

• 22 attendees, including the 16 positive, participated in contact tracing.  
• 1 attendee, a WHS student, has not responded to attempts to contact trace. 
• 9 persons, with direct contact with attendees and reported as confirmed positive participated in contact tracing.
• Upon identification of each attendee, each attendee, their family members and direct contacts were ordered to quarantine for 14 days from the January 15^th gathering.

Outbreak Timeline:

1. The gathering, identified as the source of the outbreak, occurred on Friday, January 15^th. 
2. On Wednesday, January 20^th two WHS students, both of whom attended WHS in-person on January 19^th , self-reported a positive COVID-19 result.  Initially, information was provided as to a gathering they attended on January 15th with other WHS students. Protocols as to size gathering, mask wearing and social distancing were not followed.  In addition, information was provided of two additional gatherings that weekend held without adherence to protocols:
3. A second gathering on Saturday, January 16^th, attended by some of the same students, who attended the January 15^th gathering and other WHS students.  
4. A third gathering on Saturday, January 16th with possible attendance of attendees of one or more of the two other gatherings being present.  
5. The number of attendees at the second and third gatherings was unknown. The scope of the cross-over of attendees between three gatherings was also unknown.
6. WHS was ordered closed on Tuesday, January 20^th  for 14 days.  COVID-19 positive students attended WHS on January 20^th, hence the 14-day period.  The order’s intent was to contain any additional spread within the WHS community.  The order considered the possibility of an outbreak associated with
7. an unknown number of WHS students having had direct contact to one or more students that were positive for COVID-19 at up to three gatherings over the weekend. 
8. an unknown number of WHS students and staff with direct contact with an unknown number WHS students, who attended school in-person on Monday and or Tuesday and were COVID-19 positive.
9. All WHS students were asked to stay home and monitor for symptoms until further notice.  This was requested because of the potential for an outbreak throughout the entire Wilton community. 
10. On January 25^th, 10 days after the gathering, sufficient information had been obtained to make an assessment that the risk of an outbreak throughout the entire Wilton community was minimal.  The request to stay home was rescinded and replaced with a request to monitor for four more days. 
11. The one attendee, who has not participated in contact tracing, was in attendance at WHS on Tuesday, January 20^th.  The Health Department has no knowledge of that student’s health status, including whether that student is exhibiting any symptoms or has a pending COVID-19 test.  Neither the Health Department, nor the WHS health liaisons have information as to the number of direct contacts that student had while in school on January 20^th. In the absence of that knowledge and with daily new cases among WHS students, who were direct contacts of attendees, Wilton High School remains closed.