Unit 5 schools saw an increase in coronavirus caseloads last week due in part to an outbreak at one of its grade schools.
Parkside Elementary in Normal reported 11 new coronavirus cases from the week of Oct. 10-16 on its COVID dashboard on Monday. Fifty-six students and staff are in quarantine.
Unit 5 spokesperson Dayna Brown said the new cases were spread out in at least seven different classrooms.
"The positives were not clustered," Brown said.
There are 203 students and staff in quarantine districtwide.
Unit 5 reported 48 new weekly coronavirus cases. That’s up from 36 the previous week.
The smaller District 87 indicated 15 students and three staff have tested positive for the coronavirus in the last week, according to its COVID dashboard. The district had nine coronavirus cases the week before, all among students.
The new weekly caseload is District 87’s highest in about a month. The district reported 166 students are in quarantine for COVID-like symptoms. That’s down from the previous five weeks. The district counted 18 students identified as close contacts who were able to stay in school after testing negative, according to its new “Test to Stay” protocol.
The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) announced Monday the county’s seven-day testing positivity rate dipped below 2% for the first time since July 20. The county reports 63 new coronavirus cases from the weekend.
Eighteen McLean County residents are hospitalized with COVID-19. That's up one from Friday.
