By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Cases of COVID-19 continue to spread in Oxford and Lafayette County school districts and the University of Mississippi causing more than 800 students to be quarantined at home.
At the University of Mississippi, 176 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in the last seven days, mostly amongst students. Of the 176 cases, 12 are faculty and staff members.
There are 164 active cases as of Wednesday. There are 29 students in isolation and 12 in quarantine.
According to the Oxford School District, during the week of Aug. 23-29, there were 46 new cases of COVID-19 reported among two staff members and 44 students.
Most of the student cases occurred at Bramlett Elementary, with 11 cases, and Oxford High School, also with 11 new cases.
Other schools reported:
- Central Elementary: 9
- Della Davidson: 4
- Oxford Intermediate: 3 (1 teacher/staff)
- Oxford Middle: 8
- Oxford High: 11 (1 teacher/staff)
The total number of students in quarantine due to contact tracing currently are 260 with two teachers being quarantined.
The OSD is currently requiring students and staff to wear masks while inside the school and on buses.
The Lafayette County School District reported about 58-60 cases of COVID-19 with most of the cases at the High School.
One to five teachers/staff tested positive in the district.
Lafayette County’s data is released through the Mississippi State Department that reports 1-5 cases when there are fewer than five cases to “to protect personal identity.”
Other schools reported:
- Lafayette Elementary: 12
- Lafayette Upper: 14
- Lafayette Middle School: 14
- Lafayette High: 18
- There are 616 students in quarantine currently.
Lafayette County schools are currently requiring masks indoors and on buses. The district re-evaluates its mask policy weekly and announces on Fridays which schools will be required to wear masks.
On Friday, the district said all schools were “high level” of COVID-19 cases and students/teachers needed to wear masks indoors and on buses.
