ADPH

As the state continues to see an overall spike in COVID-19 cases, cases in area schools decreased slightly.

According to the Alabama Department of Public Health’s school dashboard, the state saw 1,592 new cases in the past week, which is up from 1,056 new cases statewide the previous week.

Enterprise City Schools reported 14 new cases last week, which is a decrease from 16 the previous week. While the ADPH’s numbers combine both student and staff positive cases, ECS Superintendent Greg Faught confirmed to The Sun that the school system has five new student cases and four staff cases over the past week. That brings the ECS total student cases, since the beginning of school, to 64. Since Aug. 6, 48 ECS employees have tested positive and 894 students have been sent home since Aug. 6 because of being in close contact with someone who tested positive.

“I want to encourage our students, parents and employees to take all recommended precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 over the Thanksgiving break,” Faught said.

Coffee County Schools’ positive cases were cut in half with five new cases the past week after having 10 new cases the previous week.

According to Coffee County Schools Superintendent Kevin Killingsworth, those new cases include two student cases and one faculty case at Zion Chapel School, one faculty case at New Brockton Elementary School and one student case at Kinston School.

While the school’s numbers dropped, the amount of students currently in quarantine has risen starkly and Killingsworth said that many of these situations were “avoidable.”

“The number of students and faculty having to go home due to quarantine has risen significantly in the last few weeks,” Killingsworth said in a statement. “Many of these are unavoidable, but some are totally avoidable if our students and parents will simply follow the protocols set for by ADPH.

“If your child is showing symptoms, please keep them at home and have them tested before sending them back to school. If a member of your household is positive for COVID-19, then your household members are considered to be in ‘close proximity’ and should be quarantined by the protocols set forth by ADPH. I realize this is not an easy task, but the protocol should be adhered to closely for the sake of others.”

Daleville City Schools and Elba City Schools reported less than five new cases. Dale County Schools saw an increase of 19 new cases last week, however. Dothan City Schools had nine new cases, which is the same number from the previous week. Ozark City Schools has 10 new cases.

For updated COVID-19 school cases, visit https://tinyurl.com/y364n2qo.

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