Ohio schools report just 770 new COVID-19 cases this week

COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — Ohio’s K-12 schools saw their fewest COVID-19 cases of the school year, reporting only 770 new infections Thursday to the Ohio Department of Health.

The record low continues a decline in cases since January, when Ohio schools reported a record-high 27,774 cases on Jan. 20 among students and staff. Thursday’s cases reflect the week ending Sunday, Feb. 27.

The school year total now stands at 244,439 cases. Infections were caught in and out of school.

1,613 (58%) of the 2,769 schools, districts, private schools, vocational schools, preschools and other non-college institutions that ODH tracks have reported a case this school year.

The median number of cases among schools with at least one infection is 43 cases, while the median number for school districts is 202 cases.

201,443 (82%) of Ohio’s school cases are students and 42,996 (18%) are staff members, which include teachers, administrators, coaches and support staff. Last school year, students were roughly 2 in 3 cases, and staff were 1 in 3.

Cincinnati Public Schools, a district of more than 34,000 students, leads the state with 5,617 cases, ahead of Dublin City Schools with 3,864. Dublin is among five central Ohio districts in the top 10.

All but one Ohio public school district is back to fully in-person learning, according to data last week tracked by the Ohio Department of Education. One district is in a hybrid model.

A majority of public school students, 69.2% according to ODE, learn where masks are optional for all students. The other 3 in 10 go to school where masks are required for all or some students.