UPDATE: Sep 4 2015

Red Bay Primary School Students Return to School

On Thursday September 3rd and Friday September 4th 2015, the majority of the approximately 100 students and teachers that took ill at Red Bay Primary School on Wednesday, returned to classes.

In addition to the cleaning that was carried out at the school and in the canteen areas, the school mobilized to inform parents of the symptoms students experienced, advising them to seek medical attention if those symptoms persisted. The Department of Education Services also liaised with the Health Services Authority to inform them of the incident, allowing them to be on alert in the event students from the school came for medical attention.

The Department of Environmental Health has recommended that the Mary Miller Hall, which includes the kitchen facilities, remains closed until results of all the tests have been finalized. The school, its PTA and the Department of Education Services will continue to ensure that breakfast, snacks and lunch are provided for Red Bay Primary School.
Lighthouse School and George Town Primary School, both of whom previously had their meals prepared in the kitchen at Mary Miller Hall, will continue to have their meals prepared off-site and brought on to their campuses.

A further update will be provided next week once more details are available.

 

Several students and teachers took ill in the post-lunch session at the Red Bay Primary School today September 2nd, 2015.

The Department of Environmental Health was called in to investigate and preliminary findings showed that:
* Food prepared at the site was also served at the Lighthouse School and George Town Primary School, and there were no reports of anyone taking ill at those locations;
* A gas leak from an ice machine was discovered in the serving area and further investigations are being undertaken to determine what impact, if any, this may have had.

Parents are advised to seek medical attention for their children if symptoms of vomiting and cramps persist.

The Department of Education Services, Department of Environmental Health, the school and the canteen provider are all working together to ensure that the kitchen preparation and serving areas are fit for use, and the classrooms are ready for classes on Thursday September 3rd, 2015. To this end, a thorough cleaning of the classrooms at Red Bay Primary School and of the Mary Miller Hall is being undertaken. The kitchen and serving areas at the school will be closed to also allow additional tests to be carried out by the Department of Environmental Health.

Breakfast, snacks and lunch meals will still be available for all three sites, Red Bay Primary School, Lighthouse School and George Town Primary School, on Thursday September 3rd 2015.

Following further investigations by the Department of Environmental Health, additional information will be circulated regarding this matter.