Coronavirus continues to spread at high rates across the South, Midwest and West — even as the total number of new cases has declined following a summer surge.
Nationally, over the past seven days, the United States is averaging about 53,000 new cases per day, down 11% from the week prior. As educators and parents clash over starting in-person classes, some schools that have reopened have seen new cases.
More than 2,000 students, teachers and staff have been placed under quarantine in the few reopened districts in several states, a CNN tally of reported cases show. Of those, at least 230 positive coronavirus cases have been reported among the school districts reopened for in-person learning.
Here are some of the impacted areas:
- In Georgia, just outside Atlanta, more than 1,100 students, teachers and staff in the Cherokee County School District are under quarantine due to dozens of Covid-19 positive cases or exposure. Schools reopened 10 days ago.
- In Florida, a day after the Martin County School District reopened for in-person teaching, an entire elementary class and one bus route were placed under quarantine after a student showed coronavirus symptoms, spokeswoman Jennifer DeShazo said Wednesday.
- Several states including Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma and Indiana reported cases of teachers, students and sports players testing positive for coronavirus. At Oklahoma's Broken Arrow Public Schools District, 33 employees tested positive last week, Superintendent Janet Vinson said.
The White House released new recommendations for schools. They are primarily basic hygiene tips and don't outline what schools should do if they find coronavirus cases in their halls. The recommendations also encourage the use of masks, but do not require students, teachers or staff to wear them.
President Trump said the federal government will provide up to 125 million masks to school districts nationwide.
