Delaware schools end 2021 with highest COVID numbers of school year
DOVER — Delaware’s public schools posted their highest weekly total of in-person contagious COVID-19 cases among students so far this school year. But it still made up less than 1% of the …
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Delaware schools end 2021 with highest COVID numbers of school year
By Tim MastroDOVER — Delaware’s public schools posted their highest weekly total of in-person contagious COVID-19 cases among students so far this school year. But it still made up less than 1% of the estimated statewide public school population.
There were 731 in-person contagious cases among public school students and an additional 161 cases among staff, tracked from Dec. 11-17, according to information released by the Delaware Division of Public Health on Wednesday. It represents 0.52% of the estimated 141,040 students in public schools this year — the first time that percentage has been more than 0.5%.
The state has recorded a total of 5,078 in-person contagious cases among public school students, 3.6% of the estimated 141,040, so far this school year, with 1,053 more among staff.
COVID-19 testing for private schools is still unavailable. A DPH spokesperson said it is still in process and should be available soon although the state does not have an exact timeline.
The state began tracking public school data on Sept. 4.
The data, posted on the state’s coronavirus website, only includes in-person contagious cases. In-person contagious cases 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.”
The data is for all of Delaware’s public schools, which include 19 districts and all 23 charter schools which are a part of the public school system.
Red Clay Consolidated School District, which has the most students in the state, has the most in-person contagious cases among students so far this year with 542 — 3.3% of its estimated 16,422 students. It recorded the second most for the week of Dec. 11-17 with 76.
Appoquinimink posted the highest total of in-person contagious cases Dec. 11-17 with 80. It has totaled 425 for the year which represents 3.4% of its estimated 12,494 students.
