A school in Sydney’s north has been forcibly closed after a student tested positive to coronavirus.

A 16-year-old at Epping Boys High was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Thursday night with his family alerting the school.

Authorities immediately announced the school would be closed for Friday, telling staff and students to self-isolate over the weekend.

It gives health workers time to identify anyone who had direct contact with the Year 11 student and to develop a containment strategy.

It’s believed the boy caught the disease from someone who has already been identified by authorities.

There are now 25 cases of the disease in New South Wales.