COVID-19 cases at McMaster University, Niagara College in Welland camups and HWDSB

A McMaster University employee, two Hamilton-Wentworth District School Board (HWDSB) students and someone at Niagara College Canada in Welland have been diagnosed with COVID-19.

The university states it was notified Wednesday about the positive test result.

"The employee was last on campus on Nov. 14 and spent some time in the faculty of health sciences space in the [McMaster University Medical Centre] building and the psychology building," read a notice from the school.

"The employee followed all COVID-19 health and safety protocols while on campus and all areas of the buildings, as well as all applicable lab equipment, have since been thoroughly cleaned."

McMaster says contact tracing is underway.

Someone at Niagara College's Welland campus has the virus. The school didn't say if the person is a student or employee, but they were last on campus on Friday, Nov. 13.

"Niagara College has assisted Niagara Region Public Health in identifying individuals for contact tracing, and anyone who may be at risk will be contacted directly by Niagara Region Public Health with direction and guidance regarding next steps," read a notice on the college's website.

A student at Nora Frances Henderson Secondary School tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Public health and school administrators have notified anyone identified as a close contact. Students and staff linked to the case will need to self-isolate for 14 days.

"Public health has determined there is no epidemiological link between this and previous cases at our school, and therefore no outbreak will be declared," reads the letter to families from principal Timothy Powell-McBride.

A student at Helen Detwiler was also infected by COVID-19, but was not in the building when they were infectious and had no close contacts within the school.