BERNE — A Berne-Knox-Westerlo student who has been learning from home has tested positive for COVID-19, according to an email Superintendent Timothy Mundell sent to BKW students, family, and staff on Monday morning.

The district learned of the case on Sunday, Nov. 15, Mundell wrote, stating that, since the student learned remotely, he or she “never reported to school in-person, thus never came in contact with other students or staff on school grounds.”

This is the rural district’s first case of COVID-19.

Albany County is in the midst of a surge of the disease, with outbreaks focused in more densely populated areas.

The county’s health commissioner, Elizabeth Whalen, said last week that about 15 percent of Albany County’s cases have been from kindergarten-through-12th-grade schools.

“The Albany County Department of Health is aware of the situation, has begun the tracing process and is working to identify this individual’s contacts in the community,” Mundell’s email said. “Health Department staff will reach out to all contacts and advise on the need to quarantine and to arrange testing of those exposed.”