Only three school districts add COVID cases before Christmas break

AUSTIN — Reports released by the Texas Department of State Health Services show that only three local and regional school districts reported new COVID cases for the most recent reporting period.

Texarkana, Red Lick and Hughes Springs Independent School Districts all added new cases among staff members for the reporting period of Dec. 14-Dec. 20.

TISD added six staff cases,

while Red Lick added two and Hughes Springs added one.

All six of TISD’s new cases were at the elementary school level. According to the report, they have a total of 113 staff cases and a total on-campus student positivity rate of 2.6% since the beginning of reporting in July.

Red Lick’s new cases also came from staff at their elementary school. They have a total of 12 staff cases.

Red Lick also has the highest total student positivity rate among all districts in Bowie or Cass County, according to the report. Its ratio of 393 on-campus students as of Oct. 30 to 29 total student cases results in a positivity rate of approximately 7.4%. No other district is at or above 5%.

Hughes Springs was the only district in Cass County to report a new case. They now have a total of 23 staff cases, to go along with 23 student cases and a positivity rate of 2.1%.

There was variation with case totals in this week’s reports, but if last week’s totals are correct, Simms ISD would remain the district with the lowest total student positivity rate. They are the only district in either county to report student cases with a rate below 1%.

All new cases were reported with a source of infection as either off-campus or unknown.