A pupil at an Oldham secondary school is suspected to have tested positive for the new Omicron variant of Covid-19.

Health officials at the local authority have confirmed a potential case of the variant has been identified at The Blue Coat School in the town centre.

Scientists believe the Omicron variant could be more transmissible than the widespread Delta mutation of the virus, which caused a dramatic rise in cases of the virus across the UK.

The case at The Blue Coat School, on Egerton Street, is the first suspected incidence of the new variant in the borough.

The school is working with public health officials to identify pupils and staff who were close contacts to the student who tested positive.

A spokesperson from the Cranmer Education Trust which runs Blue Coat said: “Yesterday we were contacted by public health to inform us that further sequencing of a positive PCR test from a student at Blue Coat School, indicated it was likely to have been caused by the Omicron variant.

“As the Omicron variant is classed as a variant of concern, the rules regarding isolation of close contacts are different.

“The school worked closely with public health to identify students who were close contacts, informed them, through their parents/carers, that they would need to self-isolate, in line with public health guidance.

“Later that evening, government announced that close contacts of the Omicron variant would no longer need to self-isolate but must complete daily Covid-19 tests instead.

“We are currently working with public health to understand the implications of this new guidance in this instance.

“Students who are self-isolating will receive live lessons at home from their teachers and will be able to return to school on Monday, at the very latest.

“Hopefully yesterday’s announcement about close contacts of the Omicron variant no longer needing to isolate will mean that our young people will not face any further disruption to their education.”

A spokesperson for Oldham council said that targeted testing was already being carried out among people who had been incontact with the pupil who is believed to have the new variant.

“We identified a suspected case of the new Omicron Covid variant within the school’s community and, in line with the new national restrictions, acted quickly along with the school to identify close contacts and ask them to self-isolate,” they said.

“As with other cases identified in England, positive cases in Oldham are self-isolating and robust contact tracing has taken place to trace their contacts. Close contacts have already been contacted separately and will now take part in targeted testing.

“As the Omicron Covid variant spreads throughout the UK we’re going to be seeing more cases likes this so we urge residents to do everything they can to prevent further spreading of the virus.

“Early indications are suggesting the Omicron variant may be more transmissible than the Delta variant so it’s important that you stay at home and take a PCR test if you have Covid symptoms.

“If you have a child and they develops symptoms, they must isolate, and you should arrange a test for them via https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-getting-tested or by calling 119.

“If the test result is positive, your child will be required to self-isolate for a period of 10 days from the day that their symptoms started. Please inform school if your child has a positive test result.

“If your child’s test result is negative, they can continue with their normal activities if they are well enough to do so.”

Health secretary Sajid Javid has warned that at the current rate that Omicron is spreading, the UK could see a million infections of the variant by the end of the month.

There were 568 confirmed Omicron cases as of December 8.

In Greater Manchester, health chiefs in Bolton say they have found ‘at least four’ people testing positive for the mutation.

And on Wednesday Manchester City Council’s director of public health that ‘three to four confirmed or probable cases of Omicron’ have been found in Manchester.

In response to the new variant the government has announced the return of some measures for England aimed at curbing a surge in infections.

The new guidance under ‘Plan B’ asks people to work at home where possible and will see the introduction of vaccine passports at certain venues.

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