COVID-19 public school cases, quarantines drop

School crossing guard Quentin Womack directs traffic and student in the crosswalk on the first day of school at Osceola Middle School in Ocala, Fla. on Tuesday, August 10, 2021. [Bruce Ackerman/Ocala Gazette] 2021.

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Posted September 13, 2021 | Ocala Gazette Staff

Marion County Public Schools saw COVID-19 numbers drop for the second straight week.

The school district recorded 367 new cases for the week of Sept. 4 – Sept. 10, with 324 students and 43 employees confirmed positive by the Florida Department of Health in Marion County. The figures, released Monday afternoon, are down from the 539 cases reported on Sept. 6, and 733 cases reported on Aug. 30.

Quarantine numbers were down as well, with MCPS reporting 1,161 students and employees were quarantined due to direct contact with someone testing positive for COVID-19. The quarantines included 1,135 students and 26 district employees.

The dropping school district numbers follow a sharp drop in countywide cases, which fell by near 1,000 new cases for the week ending Sept. 9. The number of new cases reported for the week was 2,105.

One number that has risen consistently is the number of parents opting their children out of facial coverings.  MCPS reported 9,187 students, or 22%, have an opt-out form on file which allows them to not wear a facial covering.