ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Dozens of students, staff members at St. Louis County schools tested positive for COVID-19 in August, according to a report the county health department released Friday.
From Aug. 1-Aug. 31, 39 students tested positive for the virus in private and public schools in St. Louis County. At least 23 resulted in school-related exposures to staff, students, or both, the report says. These exposures resulted in more than 325 students and staff members being placed on quarantine. The remaining students tested positive for COVID-19 but without any school-related exposure or transmission to staff or students.
The majority of cases were among middle and high school students.
Additionally, 34 staff members tested positive for COVID-19. At least 14 resulted in school-related exposures to staff, students, or both, the report says. These exposures resulted in more than 120 students and staff members being placed in quarantine. The remaining 20 staff members tested positive for COVID-19 but without any school-related exposure or transmission to staff or students.
More than 200 students and staff were required to quarantine after exposure to positive cases that were not school-related. The majority of these missed in-school instruction, activities or work due to their quarantine.
The rate of new diagnoses is lowest among children 9 years old and younger with 4.3 cases per 100,000 per day, the report says. (People in their 20s accounted for the highest rate of new diagnoses.)
However, "testing coverage" for children 9 years and younger is below the county's target, whereas the coverage is above the target threshold for all other age groups.
The 20-page report also broke down the cases by ZIP code. The reports shows the highest rate of new diagnoses for children under 19 years old are in west and south St. Louis county.
Read the full report below:
