ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KMOX) - Over the last nine weeks, the number of students with COVID-19 in St. Louis County schools has doubled, according to health officials.
Cases among students rose to 402 the week ending Dec. 4, that's up from 201 in late October, according to data released by the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force Wednesday. It also shows the number of infected staff members almost tripled, as staff cases hit 95, up from 32 in that same time period.
The group warns its numbers are likely an underestimate because not all schools report numbers to them.
You can see the full report, here:
The group released a statement Wednesday urging everyone in the community, including children, to wear masks indoors, regardless of vaccination status.
“Because vaccination rates remain generally low, and the majority of children in the community remain unvaccinated, a large part of our population is still susceptible to the virus — including school-aged children,” the group said in the statement.
It comes as several schools districts like Kirkwood, Rockwood, Lindbergh and others have either already voted to remove mask mandates or are about to vote to do so this week. Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt and St. Louis County Executive Sam Page have been butting heads in a battle of mask mandates.
The County rescinded its mandate and Schmitt has asked parents to report their child's school if it is mandating face masks or quarantines.
According to number from the County sent last week, COVID-19-associated deaths increased by 133% from 0.9 to 2.1 deaths per day, between Nov. 23 and Dec. 6.
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