COVID Cases Plummet In Iredell County Schools

IREDELL COUNTY, NC — Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Iredell-Statesville Schools plunged last week, to 10 confirmed cases district wide, the school district reported Friday. The tally represents 16 fewer cases reported in ISS schools in a week and the lowest number of confirmed cases since the first week in January, according to school district data.

Three school district staffers and seven students tested positive for COVID-19 last week, ISS said.

None of the cases reported between Feb. 26 and March 4 were the result of secondary spread within schools, marking the first time in nearly two months the school district has not reported secondary infections in a school setting. One week prior, there were eight cases of secondary spread.

Despite the reduction in confirmed cases, coronavirus continues to impact the school district.

Community spread of COVID-19 led 310 students and 34 school district staff members to stay home either with symptoms or in quarantine out of caution between Feb. 26 through March 4, ISS said.

SEE ALSO: Johnson & Johnson Vaccination Event Planned In Statesville: ICHD

Of the students reported as out, at least 115 were in quarantine due to a school contact, 118 were in quarantine from a possible community contact, and 77 were isolating with COVID-19 symptoms, ISS said. Overall, there were 239 fewer students reported out of class due to the cautionary measures in comparison to the week prior.

Among staff members, at least 10 were in quarantine due to a school contact, eight were in quarantine from a possible community contact, and 16 were isolating with COVID-19 symptoms.

As of March 4, at least 41 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Iredell County in the span of a day, increasing the county's tally of known cases to 16,620. At least 16 county residents were hospitalized Friday, and 205 deaths were attributed to the virus, according to the Iredell County Health Department.

The schools and ISS facilities reporting positive COVID-19 cases from Feb. 26 - March 4, 2021 include:

• Celeste Henkel Elementary
• East Iredell Elementary
• Woodland Heights Elementary
• East Iredell Middle
• Lake Norman High
• North Iredell High
• South Iredell High