Multiple Massachusetts schools closed Monday as coronavirus cases continue to rise

NEWTON, MASS. (WHDH) - Multiple Massachusetts school districts have opted to close buildings on Monday due to coronavirus concerns around students’ parents and a student at one school who has shown symptoms of the virus, officials said.

Plainville school officials announced the closure of two elementary schools out of an abundance caution as they wait for a parent’s coronavirus test results, and Arlington is closing an elementary school after a parent was confirmed to have a presumptive positive case of the virus.

The Arlington parent’s child is also showing symptoms of the virus and is being tested, officials said. The town closed the Stratton Elementary School on Monday as they await test results on the student.

In Plainville, the Beatrice H. Wood and Anna Ware Jackson elementary schools will also be closed Monday, officials said. A parent of students at the schools is being tested for the coronavirus.

Other schools in the metro Boston area are also being affected by the virus.

Presumptive positive patients have children at Horace Mann Elementary School in Newton, Bowman Elementary in Lexington and Natick High School, officials said.

A parent of a Weston Middle School student who has not been in school since Wednesday also has a presumptive positive case of the virus and the student is on self-quarantine and will not return until being cleared by the Weston Board of Health, officials said.

Custodians gave those schools additional cleaning Sunday.

The closings come as the number of presumptive coronavirus cases in Massachusetts has more than doubled to 27, according to state officials, with all 15 new cases connected to a Biogen employee conference in late February. Twenty-three of the presumptive cases are associated with the Biogen conference.

All patients who tested presumptive positive are said to be isolated at home.

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