DOVER — Delaware’s public schools recorded their highest weekly total of the academic year for in-person contagious COVID-19 cases among students, according to the Division of Public Health’s most recent update this week.
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By Tim MastroDOVER — Delaware’s public schools recorded their highest weekly total of the academic year for in-person contagious COVID-19 cases among students, according to the Division of Public Health’s most recent update this week.
There were 1,323 in-person contagious cases among public school students and an additional 309 cases among staff, tracked Jan. 15-21. That represents 0.94% of the estimated 141,040 students in those schools this year.
The previous weekly high was Jan. 8-14, when schools posted 773 in-person contagious cases in students (0.55%).
DPH also released private school data for the first time this week, with 52 in-person contagious cases among students from Jan. 15-21. That rate represents 0.33% of the estimated 15,754 private school students. There were also 17 cases among staff for the same time.
The state has recorded a total of 7,638 in-person contagious cases among public school students, 5.4% of the estimated 141,040, so far this academic year, with 1,704 more among staff. This includes 19 districts and 23 charter schools, which are part of the public school system.
DPH began tracking this data Sept. 4, 2021.
Private schools have posted a total of 403 cases this school year, which is 2.5% of the estimated 15,754 students, plus 96 among staff.
The data, posted on the state’s coronavirus website, only includes in-person contagious cases, which are defined by DPH as “persons who were present at school as far back as 48 hours prior to the onset of symptoms (or test date if no symptoms). The source of infection of these cases cannot be attributed to schools, nor is it known that they are the source of infection to others in schools.”
Four districts recorded more than 100 in-person contagious cases Jan. 15-21, led by Red Clay Consolidated School District’s 136, which represents 0.8% of its estimated 16,422 students. Red Clay is the most populous district in the state.
Appoquinimink had 119 in-person contagious cases, 0.9% of its estimated 12,494 students. Smyrna recorded 113, which is 1.8% of its estimated 5,976 pupils, while Indian River had 107, or 1% of its estimated 10,578 students.
Delmar, which has about 1,439 students, was the only district to have zero cases among pupils Jan. 15-21.
