Studio City School To Halt In-Person Classes Over Coronavirus

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – The private Harvard-Westlake School in Studio City confirmed Wednesday that it will halt all in-person classes and switch to online classes beginning next week due to the novel coronavirus.

A school spokesperson told CBS2 the change is being made after a parent of one of the students was being tested for coronavirus.

The school will close on Thursday and Friday. Online classes will resume on Monday, March 16.

There was no estimate on how long the online schedule would last.

Other private schools in the area which are either temporarily closing or transitioning to online learning include the Buckley School, Campbell Hall, Chaminade College Preparatory, Louisville High School, Wise School, Viewpoint School, Crossroads School, Sierra Canyon School and Harkham Hillel Hebrew Academy in Beverly Hills, where a parent allegedly tested positive for coronavirus.

Numerous Southern California universities have also halted in-person classes and transitioned to an online format, including the likes of UCLA, USC, UC Irvine and Chapman University.

Also Wednesday, health officials confirmed the first coronavirus death in L.A. County.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, COVID-19 -- the disease caused by the coronavirus -- 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.