Active COVID clusters reported at 9 schools across Wake, Durham and Johnston counties
COVID-19 clusters have been reported at nine Triangle schools, along with larger outbreaks involving dozens of cases at two charter schools across North Carolina.
Salem Elementary School in Apex is reporting 10 COVID-19 cases among students in the latest school cluster report released Tuesday by the state Department of Health and Human Services. Smaller clusters were reported at five other Wake County schools, two Durham schools and a Johnston County school.
But the biggest school cluster in the new report was 50 cases at Charter Day School in Brunswick County. And the charter school’s number has grown even higher, at 67 cases, according to WECT. The TV station reported that the Brunswick County Health Department is ordering the charter school to comply with quarantine and health requirements.
The next largest active school cluster was 26 cases, all involving students, at Union Academy in Union County, near Charlotte. The school began requiring students and staff to wear face masks after the outbreak, the Charlotte Observer reported.
The state defines a cluster as five or more related cases at a facility within a 14-day period.
Triangle school clusters
In addition to Salem Elementary, active COVID-19 clusters were reported in Wake County at Herbert Akins Elementary in Fuquay-Varina, Lufkin Road Middle in Apex, Neuse River Middle in Raleigh, North Forest Pines Elementary in Raleigh and Turner Creek Elementary in Cary.
The state report came the same day the Wake County school system announced that the Virtual Academy is at full capacity for most grade levels for the new school year. Wake said only students who meet very specific criteria for extenuating circumstances will be allowed into the program.
In Durham, clusters were reported at Easley Elementary and Central Park Charter School.
In Johnston County, a cluster was reported at Smithfield-Selma High School. Amid the new cluster, the Johnston County school board voted Tuesday to reverse its decision to make masks optional.
The number of COVID-19 cases and clusters is expected to rise when most of the state’s students begin the new school year later this month. At this point it’s primarily year-round schools that are in session.
School districts and charter schools across the state are adopting school masking policies after they were required to have masks last school year. At least 54 of the state’s 115 school districts are making masks optional, with 52 requiring face coverings.
COVID cases rising among young people
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are rising in North Carolina, The News & Observer reported.
In addition, children 17 or younger are seeing a surge in cases not seen since the virus’ winter peak, The N&O reported.
The rising cases and low vaccination rates are leading to more severe cases of COVID-19, too. More younger people are being hospitalized, compared to earlier in the pandemic, though 50- to 59-year-olds make up 20% of all those hospitalized since June 21 — more than any other age group.
Children have the third highest infection rate according to the state’s health department. Nearly 700 of every 100,000 kids younger than 18 have tested positive in the past six weeks. In the winter, the state saw high rates of infection among children, too.
Because the vaccine is only available to children 12 and older, the state is recommending that school districts require masks.
This story was originally published August 10, 2021 at 5:16 PM.
