The S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control reported 2,142 cumulative COVID-19 cases in public, private and charter schools statewide in its Friday report.
That's an increase of 186 since Tuesday and 370 since last Friday.
Since the beginning of the school year, 1,496 students and 646 school employees have entered a school or school-sponsored activity during their infectious period of COVID-19, according to DHEC.
In Aiken County, the count of Aiken High students who have entered the school during their infectious period has risen from six to seven. Byrd Elementary now reports at least one, but fewer than five, faculty cases.
The 27 Aiken County public and private schools that have reported COVID-19 cases this year are:
- Aiken High (seven students, <5 faculty)
- Aiken Scholars Academy (<5 students)
- Belvedere Elementary (<5 students, <5 faculty)
- Byrd Elementary (<5 students, <5 faculty)
- Grace Child Development Center (<5 students)
- Graniteville Elementary (<5 students)
- Greendale Elementary (<5 students)
- Hammond Hill Elementary (<5 faculty)
- Jefferson Elementary (<5 students, <5 faculty)
- Langely-Bath-Clearwater Middle (<5 students)
- Mead Hall Episcopal School (<5 students)
- Midland Valley Christian Academy (<5 students)
- Midland Valley High (<5 students)
- Mossy Creek Elementary (<5 faculty)
- New Ellenton STEAM Magnet Middle (<5 students)
- North Aiken Elementary (<5 students)
- North Augusta Elementary (<5 students, <5 faculty)
- North Augusta High (five students, <5 faculty)
- Oakwood-Windsor Elementary (<5 students, <5 faculty)
- Paul Knox Middle (<5 students, <5 faculty)
- Redcliffe Elementary (<5 students)
- Ridge Spring-Monetta Middle (<5 students)
- Schofield Middle (<5 students)
- South Aiken Baptist Christian School (<5 students)
- South Aiken High (<5 students, <5 faculty)
- Wagener-Salley High (<5 students)
- Warrenville Elementary (<5 students, <5 faculty)
In Barnwell County, multiple public schools have reported fewer than five cases since the school year began. They are the Barnwell County Career Center, Kelly Edwards Academy, Barnwell High, Guinyard-Butler Middle, Williston-Elko Middle and Barnwell Elementary.
Barnwell County private school Jefferson Davis Academy has reported 15 student cases and fewer than five faculty cases since the school year began.
In Edgefield County, Strom Thurmond High remains the only public school that has reported cases, with fewer than five among students.
Wardlaw Academy, a private school in Edgefield County, has reported fewer than five student cases. This is the first time Wardlaw has reported cases.
DHEC notes that the coronavirus cases were not necessarily transmitted within school grounds.
“Unlike a nursing home, where residents live at the facility, students, teachers and faculty come and go from school and are active in their community and could come into contact with the virus outside of a school setting,” S.C. DHEC states on its website.
To find DHEC’s bi-weekly school report and other coronavirus information, visit scdhec.gov/covid19.
USC Aiken
For the second week in a row, USC Aiken reported two new cases on its COVID-19 dashboard.
Since Sept. 4, the university has reported a total of 20 cases.
The total population on the USCA campus is 3,743, according to the dashboard.
The university reports having an adequate stock of cleaning supplies and having made all relevant calls for contact tracing.
No isolation beds were used last week, according to the dashboard.
USCA’s alert level remains low, or “Green Alert.”
During Green Alert, “Institutions are open and protective measures are still actively in place. The threat of outbreak remains, but the virus is lower and testing and contact tracing are robust to allow some policies to be relaxed,” according to USCA’s Ready, Set, Return plan.
To view USCA’s COVID-19 dashboard, visit usca.edu/pacer-ready/dashboard.
