Pre-K and elementary cases top new Michigan COVID-19 school outbreaks

Michigan logged another 53 school-related outbreaks of COVID-19 this week, with preschools and elementary schools experiencing the most outbreaks, according to state figures released Monday.

The outbreaks are responsible for 178 new cases of the illness.

In all, 23 preschool or elementary schools reported outbreaks, accounting for 72 cases of COVID-19. High schools were next highest with 18 outbreaks and 62 cases. Junior high schools and middle schools logged nine outbreaks responsible for 29 cases.

Colleges and universities, which led the outbreaks in September, logged one outbreak. Cleary University in Livingston County reported seven students tested positive.

The outbreaks occurred in 30 of Michigan's 83 counties and come as more districts are reverting to online-only education. An outbreak is when there are two or more cases in which people are believed to have been infected inside the same school.

The state's largest district, Detroit Public Schools Community District, made the switch Nov. 16 and said it would remain in an online-only mode through at least Jan. 11.

Other districts have done the same. Some districts that have been online-only from the beginning of the school year have now paused their plans to return to classrooms.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer on Nov. 15 announced all secondary schools and colleges were to pause in-person learning for at least three weeks as COVID-19 cases across the state surged to record levels.

Paula Herbart, president of the Michigan Education Association, the state's largest teacher's union, last week also called for a halt to in-person learning, citing safety concerns.

"Based on recent news reports, we know that day is coming but until it’s here, state lawmakers need to protect our students and school employees by putting health and safety before all else," Herbart said in a statement. "That means pausing in-person learning at all levels while cases are skyrocketing, and delaying decisions to transition to greater levels of in-person learning until infection rates are under control."

More: Detroit schools halt face-to-face learning because of COVID-19

More: More schools going remote as COVID-19 virus spreads

In metro Detroit, Macomb County experienced the most outbreaks, eight, with a total of 25 cases reported. The largest of those outbreaks occurred at Jefferson Middle School in St. Clair Shores, where seven confirmed cases of COVID-19 were reported, covering both students and staff.

Two other middle schools, Eastland Middle School in Roseville and Richmond Middle School in Richmond also experienced outbreaks, as did Shelby Junior High School in Shelby Township.

Detroit Enterprise Academy on Kercheval in Detroit was the only school in Wayne County to report an outbreak. Three staff members there tested positive.

Oakland County had one outbreak at Thornton Creek Elementary School in Novi, where two staffers tested positive.

Outstate, Bay County reported seven outbreaks and 26 cases and Ottawa County reported five outbreaks and 16 cases.

Contact John Wisely: 313-222-6825 or jwisely@freepress.com. On Twitter @jwisely

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Pre-K and elementary cases top new Michigan COVID-19 school outbreaks

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