COVID-19 School Clusters At Highest Level Since Pandemic's Start

Classes are back in session and COVID-19 cases connected to schools are on the rise once again. 

A report from the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services shows during the month of August, COVID-19 clusters associated with K-12 schools were at the highest level since the pandemic began. A cluster is defined as five or more cases with a plausible epidemiologic linkage.

Dr. David Priest with Novant Health says this isn't surprising. 

“I think those things are predictable. I think you know, you get people in enclosed spaces together and this delta variant is so contagious, it's going to spread in schools," says Priest. "I think that can be managed with the interventions that have been put in place with masking and social distancing.”

Priest says the health system has not seen a major increase in child hospitalizations though. 

Statewide, 96 clusters were reported among K-12 schools as of September 2. A report this week shows Wake County with 12 confirmed clusters – the highest number in the state. Forsyth and Guilford counties both have less than five.