DHEC shows a slowdown in school COVID cases. That’s not what York County schools see.
State health department data shows a slowdown in COVID-19 cases in schools, but area districts report there are still plenty more cases coming.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control keeps a list of student and staff cases in K-12 schools. That listing shows a leveling off that coincides with winter break for most schools. There were only 58 new total cases reported statewide on Friday.
However, districts provide independent data. It’s often higher and more updated than DHEC data. Chester County schools show almost three times the new cases this week as any week to date. Rock Hill schools show more than 130 new cases this week, more than twice the number DHEC added in its update.
Here’s the breakdown of COVID in local schools:
DHEC data for York, Lancaster, Chester
As of Friday there are 7,470 total cases in South Carolina K-12 schools, per DHEC. There are 5,297 student and 2,173 staff cases. Cases have largely leveled off on the state listing since Dec. 29, when schools were in the middle of winter break.
DHEC lists total cases this school year. More than one third of the 102 public K-12 schools in York, Lancaster and Chester counties have five or more student or staff (or both) cases listed. Almost every school has at least one reported case.
The most student cases among high schools are listed for Clover (41), Rock Hill (25), Nation Ford (24), Fort Mill (19) and Northwestern (17). The most among lower grade schools come at Indian Land Elementary School (11) and Clover Middle School (10). Doby’s Bridge and Kings Town elementary schools have eight each. So do Banks Trail and Saluda Trail middle schools.
Rock Hill High School shows seven staff cases. There are five each shown at Clover, Lancaster, Catawba Ridge and Lewisville high schools. Fort Mill Elementary School also has five.
Rock Hill schools
The Rock Hill School District shows 106 new student and 31 new staff cases this week. Rock Hill (16), South Pointe (10) and Northwestern (9) high schools have the most student cases. Rock Hill and South Pointe also have the most staff cases, at four each.
This school year there are now 379 student and 234 staff positives. The high schools again have the most with 166 student and 44 staff cases between them.
Fort Mill schools
The Fort Mill School District only lists active cases on its dashboard. On Friday afternoon it shows 85 student and 24 staff cases (a Friday evening update is expected). The most student cases come at Fort Mill High School with 16, twice the next closest (Nation Ford High School with eight). Gold Hill Elementary School and Springfield Middle School show the most staff cases with three each.
Clover schools
The Clover School District has 30 active student and 18 active staff cases. Clover High School (9) and Oakridge Middle School (6) have the most student cases. Clover Middle School (5) has the most among staff.
This school year the district has 233 student and 88 staff cases. Clover High has the most of each. Clover High has the most student cases of any area school with 125. Next closest is Clover Middle School at 32. Clover High has 24 staff cases, ahead of Oakridge Middle School and Griggs Road Elementary School with eight each.
York schools
The York School District surpassed the 100 case mark for students. More than a fifth of them are current cases. The district shows 22 active student and 10 active staff cases. This school year there are 101 student and 59 staff cases.
York Comprehensive High School has seven active student cases. York Middle School has five and Harold C. Johnson Elementary School has four. Several schools have two active staff cases.
The most total student cases come from the high school (43), York Intermediate School (14) and York Middle School (13). Harold C. Johnson (9) and the high school (8) have the most staff cases.
Lancaster County schools
The Lancaster County School District has an online dashboard, but as of mid-afternoon Friday it still showed a weekly total from mid-December. The week prior to winter break saw 48 new student and staff cases, with 583 new quarantines.
Chester County schools
The Chester County School District saw almost triple the new cases this week it did for any other week this school year. The district dashboard shows 49 cases this week. The previous high was 18, the week after Thanksgiving.
The district has 164 total cases (103 students, 61 staff) this school year. The most come from Chester (35) and Lewisville (27) high schools, plus Chester Middle School (18) and Great Falls middle and high schools (16).
This story was originally published January 8, 2021 at 4:45 PM.
