(WWJ) State health officials are reporting 63 new COVID-19 outbreaks at schools across Michigan.
Most of the outbreaks in the mero Detroit are in Macomb County -- including at Roseville and Cousino High Schools, as well as Walt Disney Elementary in Clinton Township, Anchor Bay Middle School South and Roseville Middle School.
The only new outbreak reported in an Oakland County school was at Our Lady of Refuge in Waterford Township, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
Two outbreaks in Wayne County were reported at Owen Intermediate School in Belleville and at Plymouth Salem High School.
Health officials have said many of the outbreaks across the state were in high schools and that's why those students will be restricted to online learning only starting on Wednesday, by order of MDHHS.
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This news comes amid a surge of COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations in Michigan.
MDHHS reported 12,700 new confirmed cases for Sunday and Monday. That averages to 6,381 cases over the past two days, bringing the statewide total to more than 264,000 confirmed cases since March.
Michigan has now surpassed 8,000 deaths related to COVID-19, with 55 new cases reported by MDHHS Sunday and Monday combined.
What counts as a school "outbreak"? In accordance with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists’ outbreak definition, educational institutions (i.e., grades K-12 and institutions of higher education) that have been found by their local health department to have two or more COVID-19 cases who may have shared exposure on school grounds and are from different households are included. Case counts for school-related outbreaks include those associated with before and after school programs (including school-sponsored sports). When applicable, outbreak reporting also includes cases originating from on-campus and off-campus student housing.
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If your institution is listed, MDDHS says your local health department and school are investigating the outbreak and will contact you directly if you (or your minor/child) were possibly exposed to coronavirus on the school grounds. Please note that students or staff who were exposed to COVID-19 outside of school grounds and are not thought to have spread the disease on the school grounds (due to quarantine, self-isolation, etc.) are not included in the totals.
School outbreak data is updated by the state once a week. Visit THIS LINK for all the details, and stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 for the latest.