Updated | ‘Stark reminder’ of the danger: Fayette teacher dies of COVID-19.

The death in September of a permanent substitute teacher at Lexington’s Winburn Middle School has been attributed to COVID-19, principal Mike Hale told families Thursday in a letter.

At least one other district staff member’s death — a school bus driver who died in the spring — has been attributed to the coronavirus.

News of the latest death comes as Fayette County is trying to facilitate a limited return to in-person learning in the next few weeks.

Ruthie Martinez, who had worked as a permanent substitute in Winburn since last year, “was a beloved member of our school community, and we miss her uplifting presence every day,” Hale said in his letter.

“We have just received word that the state has ruled her passing as a COVID-19 related death,” said Hale.

After Martinez’ death, school officials learned that a member of Martinez’ household tested positive for the virus.

Martinez’ death was not linked to COVID-19 until Thursday, he said.

“She had not been at school for four days prior to her passing, and we were not given any reason to suspect COVID-19 at the time,“ he said.

”The loss of one of our Fayette County Public Schools employees always has a deep impact on our entire district. Our hearts are with both Mrs. Martinez’ immediate relatives and her Winburn family, Superintendent Manny Caulk said Thursday afternoon. “While we have been grieving Mrs. Martinez’ passing since last month, the news that her death has now been linked to COVID-19 is an important reminder for all of us that this virus is a very real health threat. It is not lost on me that this announcement comes while we are preparing for a possible return to in-person learning. Above all else, our next steps must be with health and safety as our top priority.”

Hale said when school officials learned after Martinez’ passing that there had been a diagnosis in her household, they worked with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department to conduct contact tracing for her most recent time on campus.

Out of an abundance of caution, another staff member quarantined for 14 days, he said. A custodial team also conducted a deep cleaning of any areas in the building where Martinez had worked.

Even without confirmation from the state, the district took swift action because of its commitment to the health and safety of staff, students, and families, said Hale.

“Today’s news is a stark reminder of how dangerous COVID-19 can be, and I want you to know that our school will not compromise when it comes to taking care of our employees, students and families,” he said.

In September when Martinez died, Hale said in another letter that “losing a staff member is especially hard while we are not together on-campus to support our students and staff as they process this sad news.”

“The difficult times we are living in today will certainly impact the way our students respond to Mrs. Martinez’ death, so we are leaving it to each family about how to best address this at home,” he said.

In the first reported death of a Fayette staff member, Eugenia Higgins Weathers, a Fayette County Public Schools bus driver, died in April after she was one of 17 in a district garage who tested positive for the coronavirus.

This story was originally published October 15, 2020 at 11:53 AM.