COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) – Ohio’s K-12 schools reported 1,059 new cases of COVID-19 this week, a slight bump over last week’s increase of 944.
The state’s total this school year is now 68,633 cases. Thursday’s data from the Ohio Department of Health reflects the week ending Sunday, March 28, and infections were caught in and out of school.
Schools report cases among students and staff to ODH on Tuesdays, reflecting the week ending on the previous Sunday. ODH releases numbers on Thursdays at 2 p.m.
Case criteria
ODH reports “new” and “cumulative” cases. Cases only move over to “cumulative” once the person is no longer COVID-positive. NBC4’s count of new cases every week reflects the change in “cumulative” cases. More info
1,059 new cases is the fourth-lowest weekly total this calendar year.
1,552 (56%) of 2,774 schools, districts, private schools, vocational schools, preschools and other non-college institutions that the state tracks have reported cases. That is 11 more schools since last week.
44,927 (65%) of Ohio’s school cases are students and 23,706 (35%) are staff members, which include teachers, administrators, coaches and support staff.
Cincinnati Public Schools, a district of more than 34,000 students, continues to lead the state in cases with 1,059. Six Columbus area school districts are in the top 10, including five in the top seven.
New this week, all 608 public school districts that signed Gov. Mike DeWine's promise to return to in-person learning after vaccinating staff are in fully in-person or fully hybrid learning, according to the Ohio Department of Education.
The lone district that was still in a partial hybrid model last week is now fully hybrid. 474 districts (78% of Ohio's 609) are back to five-day-in-person learning.
