GENTRY -- Covid-19 numbers reported to the Gentry School Board on Aug. 16 and to the public on Aug. 20 indicate a small increase in covid-19 infections and quarantines during the first week of school in the Gentry School District.
Jason Barrett, the school district's covid-19 point of contact, reported to the school board on Aug. 16 that there were 15 positive cases among students and staff in the district and 21 students and one staff member quarantined at the beginning of last week, prior to the start of classes.
On Friday, the school district said two more students were identified last week as positive for covid-19, and 12 persons were identified as being in close contact and required to quarantine.
In addition, the website states that there have been 24 cumulative positive cases among students and staff in the district since July 1.
The district is made up of 1,554 students and 220 staff members, according to the school district website.
Barrett announced on Friday that the school district would post updates on the district website every Friday.
The ACHI website reported 1,070 known infections, with 73 new known infections, of all people living within the boundaries of the Gentry School District for a 14-day period ending on Aug. 16. The information posted stated that the infection rate for new known infections within the school district was 85 per 10,000, with 500.5 new infections per 10,000 over a 14-day period in Benton County.
In Decatur, Steve Watkins, superintendent of Decatur Public Schools, reported three students testing positive last week for covid-19 and 24 students quarantined.
Information on cases among students and staff in the Decatur School District as of Aug. 16 was not available on the ACHI website.