Students in Thorncliffe Park concerned as cases rise in area schools

Thorncliffe Park students worry amid COVID-19 hike New data appears to show Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood, the high-density Toronto region, is an epicenter for student cases in the city.

TORONTO — Some high school students in Toronto’s Thorncliffe Park neighbourhood are voicing concerns about their school staying open as new data appears to show the high-density region is an epicenter for student cases in the city.

Ten students from Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute, located around Gateway Boulevard and Don Mills Road, have tested positive for COVID-19.

“It should have shut down a long time ago. Cases keep on growing. Thorncliffe (Park Public School) is already shut down and they are not doing anything about it,” said Grade 11 student Avdlurrahman Sodozei.

“If everything else is getting shutdown in Toronto, I don’t understand why schools aren’t getting shut down, because restaurants are closed, gyms are closed,” said another Grade 11 student Lishan Karuneswaran.

Grade 12 student Eliad Shaghaghi said the fact that there are 10 cases at the school isn’t affecting him at the moment and believes closing the school would make sense if there was another spike in cases.

“Because I keep my mask on,” he said.

Meanwhile, neighbouring Valley Park Middle School also has 10 positive cases of the disease in students.

Provincial data collected between Friday and Monday and afternoon shows 333 new school-related COVID-19 infections in Ontario Tuesday.

Currently, 53 student cases have been reported positive in Thorncliffe Park schools, two of which are closed.

Thorncliffe Park Public School was shut down after asymptotic testing last week. Then Fraser Mustard Early Learning Academy next door closed amid an investigation and testing by Toronto Public Health.

The same testing was completed at Valley Park Middle School this week. Students at Marc Garneau Collegiate Institute and Fraser Mustard Early Learning are up next in the area starting Thursday.

“We take our lead from Toronto Public Health which would advise the board if they think an entire dismissible of the school is necessary, so we really wait to hear because they are the medical experts, in the meantime all of our health and safety precautions continue to take place at all of our schools,” said Toronto District School Board (TDSB) spokesperson Ryan Bird.

Not all students who spoke with CTV News said they planned to sign up for the targeting testing.

“I’m probably going to get the test just to be safe. We’re going through history here,” said Grade 11 student Araf Chowdhury.

“If I start feeling symptoms, I’m gonna go, but I don’t think I have much to be worried about,” said student Muhammad Ali.

The TDSB said there is no specific number of cases or threshold to close a school and that Toronto Public Health looks at the individual circumstance, including transmission in the school.

CTV News Toronto has reached out to Toronto Public Health for comment on cases in Thorncliffe Park and is awaiting a reply.