School COVID cases reported

Wise County schools reported that 34 students and seven staff members tested positive for COVID-19 within one week.

During the same period, Norton schools reported that seven students and one teacher tested positive.

The numbers are taken from notification letters the school systems posted on their websites between Oct. 6 and Oct. 13.

COUNTY

Notification letters indicated these positive case reports:

• Oct. 13: A student, Union Middle School, who was last present in school Oct. 8; a student, Central High School, last present Oct. 12; five students, Union High, one last present Sept. 27, two Sept. 30, one Oct. 8, one Oct. 12; one student, Union Primary, last present Oct. 12.

• Oct. 12: Seven students, St. Paul Elementary, four last present Oct. 8, one Oct. 6, one Oct. 5; three students, Wise Primary, one last present Oct. 6, two Oct. 7; One student, Union Middle, last present Sept. 28; one student, Central High, last Oct. 12; one staff member, St. Paul Elementary, Oct. 12; two staff members, J.W. Adams Combined, one Oct. 1, one Oct. 7; one staff member, Union Primary, Oct. 1; one central office staff member, Oct. 8.

• Oct. 8: Two students, Union Middle, last present Oct. 6 and Oct. 7.

• Oct. 7: One student, St. Paul Elementary, last present Sept. 27; one student, Central High, Oct. 7; two students, Union Primary, Oct. 6; one student, Union Middle, Oct. 6; one student, Coeburn Middle, Oct. 5; one staff member, Union Middle, Oct. 7.

• Oct. 6: Two students, Central High, one last present Oct. 1, one Oct. 5; one student, alternative education center, Oct. 4; one student, Union Primary, Aug. 31; two students, Union Middle, Oct. 6; one staff member, Union Middle, Oct. 5.

The county school board met Tuesday. According to Superintendent Greg Mullins, he told the board that “in a nutshell, we have begun to see our numbers of positive student and staff member cases decline somewhat. There are indications that a vaccine will be available for our 5-11-year-old population within the next month which we feel will also have a positive impact on these numbers.”

NORTON

Notification letters indicate these positive case reports:

• Oct. 13: One student, Burton High; one student, Norton Elementary and Middle School.

• Oct. 12: One student, Burton; two students, elementary school.

• Oct. 8: One student, Burton.

• Oct. 7: One teacher, elementary school; one student, elementary school.

The city school board will meet Monday, Oct. 18.