COVID-19: Saline Schools' Weekly Report Shows Jump in Positives

Nine people in Saline Area Schools buildings tested positive for COVID-19, according to the district's weekly COVID Dashboard, updated Mondays.

Last week's dashboard indicated no new positives in school buildings for the first time since in-person school re-opened. 

This week, the district's data showed seven staff members and two students testing positive for COVID-19. The previous high was eight in the Nov. 2 report. That week, there were six students and two staff members testing positive.

Superintendent Scot Graden said remains no evidence of spread during in-person learning in the district.

The combined number of students and staff in quarantine fell from 41 last week to 36 this week. The number of students in quarantine fell by five to 23 while the number of staff in quarantine remained at 13.

Meanwhile, the district made Michigan's "school outbreak" page. According to the state webpage, two students were involved in an outbreak. Superintendent Graden said this was misreported. The reported outbreak involved a parent who helps manage an after-school club that meets at Saline Middle School. Another parent involved in the club is believed to have contracted COVID-19 from that activity. None of the students present were believed to have been infected, Graden said.

Those two infections are not reflected in the district's weekly dashboard.

The updated Michigan health order closes Michigan High Schools until at least Dec. 8, but allows elementary and middle school learning to continue in the buildings. The district, however, has chosen to close all of its buildings during the three-week period.

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