PHILLIPS — Five cases of COVID-19 in the eighth grade class at Phillips Elementary School has led to all eighth grade students learning remotely through Friday, Oct. 8.

A letter to the MSAD#58 community Thursday, Sept. 28, indicated additional confirmed cases bringing the total to five and putting the school in outbreak status.

“It has been determined the outbreak applies to one particular grade level at this time,” the letter states. “We will need to closely monitor to determine if there is any crossover to other grades within the building.”

The district has been in ongoing communication with the Maine Center for Disease Control (MCDC) and a Covid Outbreak Specialist, according to the letter.

With the outbreak continues to be in “monitoring” status, universal masking will remain in effect at the school, it notes.

“If we have additional confirmed cases or need to quarantine additional staff we might be forced to implement additional remote learning for additional grades or school-wide,” the letter continues.

On Sept. 22 a letter indicated one case had been confirmed at the Phillips and Strong elementary schools. A letter on Sept. 23 noted a case at Kingfield Elementary School. A letter on Sept. 27 informed of another case at the Phillips school.

Letters on Sept. 28 and 29 detailed a case at Strong elementary and Mt. Abram High School respectively.

Superintendent Todd Sanders and PES Principal Jeffrey Pillsbury could not be reached for more information.