582 new coronavirus cases reported in Massachusetts schools in past two weeks

A total of 582 staff and students in Massachusetts schools have tested positive for coronavirus in the past two weeks according data from the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.

The weekly report published on Thursdays shows 373 students and 209 staff tested positive for the coronavirus from Feb. 11 to Wednesday, according to DESE, which includes a weeklong February break.

This week’s count represents a decrease of 92 cases from last week’s total of 674.

Since the beginning of the school year, which kicked off 20 weeks ago, a total of 11,470 cases have been reported in Massachusetts schools, according to DESE.

There are an estimated 450,000 students in public school buildings and 75,000 staff across the state as many begin to reopen and welcome students back for in-person learning models.

The report includes the number of positive COVID-19 cases as reported to DESE by school districts including charter schools and collaboratives.

The number of positive cases for students includes those engaged in hybrid or in-person learning models, not remote.

Reported positive staff cases include those who have been in a district building within the seven days prior to the report of the positive case.

Districts with the most cases in the past two weeks include 27 cases in Lincoln-Sudbury, 22 cases in Acton-Boxborough, 22 cases in New Bedford and 18 cases in Methuen.

Boston Public Schools, which began a new phased-in return to the classroom on Feb. 4, has reported a total of 192 cases so far this year, an increase of 12 cases from last week, and the DESE report, put out once a week, shows five staff and one student case in BPS.

from Boston Herald https://ift.tt/37OOtxk