Schools head to break with more case reports

DeSoto County Schools are on Thanksgiving break this week, but the district Monday did release its weekly update on COVID-19 new cases and quarantines for the week ending Nov. 20.

This past week, there were 70 new positive case reports among students in Mississippi’s largest public school district and district-wide, there were 547 new quarantines.  

The school with the most new cases was at DeSoto Central Middle, where there were 10 new positive reports followed by Hernando High with six. Horn Lake High, Lewisburg High and Lewisburg Middle each had four positive cases. 

DeSoto Central Middle also had the most new quarantines in the past week with 90 followed by Lewisburg Middle with 59.  Hernando High School reported 34 new quarantines among its students this past week. 

DCS school staff members with positive cases in the past week totaled 22. 

The complete school district report may be found on the district’s website. 

The Mississippi State Department of Health on Monday reported 699 new coronavirus cases and no new death reports. There were 172 new long-term care facility outbreaks reported Monday morning.  

DeSoto County has 9,569 positive case reports and 99 deaths. There have been 102 long-term care facility outbreaks and 20 deaths in LTC facilities.  DeSoto’s 9,569 cases is just above Hinds’ 9,541 positive cases, meaning DeSoto County has the most number of coronavirus cases in the state.  

As of Nov. 11, DeSoto County’s positivity rate is at 17.7 percent for the previous two-week period up until that date.