Murrieta School To Reopen Wednesday After Employee Tests Negative For Coronavirus
MURRIETA (CBSLA) – Murrieta Valley High School in Riverside County will reopen Tuesday after an employee who showed possible symptoms of the coronavirus tested negative for the disease.
On Monday night, the school told parents that the employee tested negative for the virus and the school will reopen Wednesday morning.
The Murrieta Valley Unified School District had announced Friday that the employee was ill and was being tested. 71 students who came in contact with the employee were initially told to self-quarantine, the district said. However, following the negative test, they were informed Monday they no longer need to take precautions and would be allowed to return to school with everyone else.
It was not immediately clear if the patient was a teacher.
On Sunday, the Riverside University Health System declared an emergency over the coronavirus. The county has two confirmed cases so far. On Saturday, the county reported its first locally acquired case. The second patient was a passenger on the Diamond Princess cruise ship off the coast of Japan who is being treated in Northern California.
Following Sunday's emergency declaration, the 2020 BNP Paribas Open – scheduled to begin Monday in Indian Wells -- was canceled Sunday. The tournament attracts some of the best tennis players in the world.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 is spread from person-to-person through close contact, usually within 6 feet, and mainly via respiratory droplets when an infected person coughs or sneezes.
Symptoms include fever, cough and shortness of breath. People are likely most contagious when they are most symptomatic. Coronavirus can also be spread by touching contaminated surfaces and then touching your mouth, nose and eyes.
