MA Schools See COVID Cases Climb After April Break

BOSTON — After a week away from schools, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education released new COVID-19 case numbers Thursday, revealing more than 10,000 positive tests in schools across Massachusetts.

8,079 students across Massachusetts and 2,636 staff members have tested positive for the virus this week - numbers which are double the average of the last two weeks, but those weeks did not include the fact that it was April vacation.

COVID-19 case numbers typically spike throughout school communities after school vacations, as families tend to travel and participate in more social events.

According to the DESE, the highest number of cases are in Boston Public Schools, then Newton, Pittsfield, Worcester, Springfield, and Framingham.

Boston Public Schools continue to enforce a mask mandate for all students and staff despite the K-12 mask mandate being lifted at the end of February.

The percentage of Massachusetts students reporting to test positive for COVID-19 is 0.88 percent, and staff is 1.88 percent.

Students who are testing positive for COVID-19 are typically seeing more mild symptoms or no symptoms at all.