By Tim Mastro

DOVER — In-person contagious COVID-19 cases in Delaware’s K-12 public schools decreased over a seven-day period for the third week in a row, according to the Delaware Division of Public Health’s weekly report, released Wednesday.

The data, which has 274 cases for students and also shows 61 cases among staff, was tracked Oct. 23-29. It represents 0.19% of the estimated 141,040 public school students — down from 0.21% (293 cases) the previous week.

It is the second-lowest number and percentage since the state began tracking in-person contagious cases in schools Sept. 4. The only week it was lower was the first week, Sept. 4-10, when 130 in-person contagious cases were reported (0.09%).

The state has recorded a total of 2,647 in-person contagious cases among students this school year — 1.87% of all public school students. An additional 492 cases have been reported among staff.

Oct. 2-8 saw the most cases in a single week, when 483 cases were reported among students (.34%). The number has decreased each week since.

Private school data is not yet available and will be released when those schools’ enrollment information is available later in the fall, according to DPH.

The data published on the state’s coronavirus website is for all Delaware public schools, including 19 districts and 23 charter schools, which are part of the public school system. Public school enrollment data is preliminary and will be finalized in early November, said DPH.

In-person contagious cases are defined 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.”

The Brandywine School District recorded the most cases for Oct. 23-29 with 41. The only other school district with more than 25 during that time frame was Smyrna with 28 cases recorded.

The Red Clay Consolidated District, which has the most students in the state at an estimated 16,422, has had the most in-person contagious cases this academic year with 276. Brandywine (224), Indian River (222) and Colonial (202) are also over the 200-mark for the year.