Eitz Chaim Girls’ School, in the Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue area, has been temporarily closed by Toronto Public Health, starting Dec. 6 due to a COVID outbreak in the school.

“We are recommending a whole school dismissal as a precautionary measure to protect staff, students and the community from further COVID-19 transmission within the school,” Toronto Public Health tweeted on Friday, Dec. 3.

An outbreak is defined by the province as two or more cases in a school, where at least one case could have been acquired in the school. An outbreak is declared over when at least 14 days have passed with no evidence of ongoing transmission.

Toronto Public Health’s website does not list the number of cases at schools. The Ontario government’s website only lists the number of cases at provincially funded schools. Eitz Chaim, like other Jewish day schools, is a private school.

Toronto Public Health did not reply to requests for comment by The CJN’s deadline.

Meanwhile, Eitz Chaim Boys’ school, in York Region, just north of Toronto, remains open, despite a COVID outbreak. According to York Region Public Health, as of Dec. 6, the school had recorded 22 cases among students and three cases among staff.

Joe Dwek Ohr HaEmet Sephardic School, which had experienced COVID outbreaks earlier this school year,  recorded five cases among students and one staff case.

Eitz Chaim Schools could not be reached for comment about the situation at either school.