ORANGE COUNTY, Texas — The coronavirus continues creating concern in Southeast Texas.
Tekoa Academy cancelled classes for cleaning Thursday as a preventative measure after two coronavirus scares in Orange County school districts Wednesday.
Sharon Whitley is the health director for Hardin County. They also oversee infectious diseases in Orange County, like coronavirus. She says there are still NO confirmed cases in Orange County.
RELATED: Tekoa Academy closes for cleaning amid coronavirus concerns, stresses no possible exposures reporte
Little Cypress-Mauriceville and West Orange-Cove CISD officials alerted parents about two possible exposures to the Coronavirus. A district official tells 12News that the two cases are related.
Whitley says they were contacted yesterday afternoon by the districts about what to do in the event of a possible exposure.
"We were in contact with the schools, not the hospitals because, of course, the person was seen in a hospital not in our jurisdiction," Whitley explained.
Whitley says they don't know the specifics about the teacher's aide or student at either district, but they did collaborate with the hospital once it was determined they were Orange County residents.
"They were the ones who did the initial assessment with the patient because the patient was in their jurisdiction," Whitley said.
Both districts confirmed with the help of the CDC and health department that there was no exposure nor threat to students and staff. Because testing generally takes at least 24 hours, many parents wondered how the teacher's aide and student were cleared.
"That's based on the assessment that's done with the person who may have had a possible exposure, and making sure that all the steps are followed to ensure that if the person has been exposed, that the proper testing is done and the proper procedures are being followed based on CDC recommendations and guidelines."
Whitley says the CDC has guidelines in place to determine whether or not a patient should be tested. These include evaluating risk factors.
"One of them is to make sure that person hasn't been to one of the infected areas or around someone who's been in the affected areas,and also if they have been around a health care worker that may have came in contact with a patient that may have been exposed," Whitley explained.
Both schools got the all clear, but following the scare over at Tekoa Academy however, school officials are taking extra steps to ensure student safety.
"We decided to close the school because we do have students who have siblings in the ISD," CEO and founder Dr. Paula Richardson explained.
The five campuses across Orange and Port Arthur are being sanitized Thursday, and classes will resume Friday.
"Not saying that anybody in orange was infected, however precautions, we knew that it was time to take preventive measures," Richardson said.
And while there is no exposure in Orange County schools, Whitley says there is a system in place in case.
"Just in case there is an exposure the schools can handle it just like any other place of employment, you take precautions to make sure that there's not any other exposure and it all depends on if the person is a high risk, low risk, or medium risk you know there are steps to how that person should be treated," Whitley said.
