Coronavirus hits schools

Last week Hot Springs County School District (HSCSD) reported their first positive case of COVID-19 in a letter sent out to parents and guardians of Ralph Witters Elementary students.

The letter from Superintendent of Schools Dustin Hunt, dated Thursday, Sept. 17, says that “an individual (s) within the school has been diagnosed with COVID-19.”

Then on Sunday, Sept. 20, an email was sent out by Hot Springs County High School (HSCHS) Principal Breez Daniels stating “an indivdual (s) within HSCHS tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday, Sept. 18.”

Both letters state the school is working with public health officials to identify students who have had close contact with the individuals diagnosed.

It went on to say that public health officials will notify parents of students identified as close contacts directly to provide further instructions.

Close contact was described in both correspondences as within 6 feet of an infectious person for more than 15 minutes, stating that such contact may result in a 14 quarantine

HSCSD administration does not determine who has to be quarantined, public health officials make those decisions.

The HSCHS letter outlines additional details for how a quarantined person will be able to keep up on their school work.

It went on to say that keeping students health and schools open was their desired outcome.

The number of confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Hot Springs County went from 26 on Tuesday, Sept. 15 to 32 on Monday, Sept. 21. It is unknown how many of those cases are linked to the positive cases within HSCSD.