The Churchill County School District is reporting today that another student at the high school has tested positive for COVID-19. This is the second student, and one staff member in the district has also tested positive.
Yesterday at the County Board of Health meeting, Shannon Ernst, Director of Social Services, confirmed that as of, September 23rd, there are 139 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the community, 123 people have recovered, and there are currently two people hospitalized. One is in critical condition and the other is stable.
“We continue to test 350 people on the average weekly, which has kept Churchill County in the green the last two weeks,” said Ernst. “I want to thank the community for their willingness to test - our goal to keep the positivity rate we need to be testing 250 to 300 people per week.” She said that the county is testing on Tuesdays from 3:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Her staff found that they due to contact tracing they were needing to add a day of testing.
According to Ernst, there is a pre-registration process that helps reduce staff time and makes it easier to test. Anyone interested in a COVID test should call 423-6695, and press option two and then make sure to leave a message.
Ernst also reported that the county has received funding from the state to hire a full time epidemiologist and public health nurse, both positions are posted on the county website and “are out there and open for application,” she said.
Stephanie Utz, the nurse for the Churchill County School District also reported at the Board of Health meeting on the COVID prevention measures being taken in the district. She said that so far, 228 students have been excluded from attending class because they exhibited one or more of the symptoms articulated by the state. Under the advisory from the state, the district is required to send student home if they exhibit only one symptoms; fever, chills, difficulty breathing, new cough, loss of taste or smell, fatigue, body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion, nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea.
As of September 23rd, Utz reported 55 students being sent home from a school site because they exhibited one of the symptoms and 173 students were called in by their parents as ill. She said that of the district staff 14 have been excluded; four for primary contact with someone positive for COVID, one had a positive test, and the rest reported symptoms.
Clarification was made by Ernst that the county has not taken the lead with contact tracing at the schools, the state is the lead when it comes to the schools. Apparently, this caused some confusion in the beginning, however, the schools and the county have the same contact at the state, and they are able to work together to share information for the community numbers.
Oasis Academy representative, Rochelle Tisdale, reported on the compliance activities being taken at the charter school and did not report that they have any cases.
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