Cobb schools report 1,033 COVID cases; 69 at Sprayberry HS

Sprayberry High School

After reporting nearly 1,000 new active COVID cases last week, the Cobb County School District went over that threshold with 1,033 being reported in its weekly update on Friday.

Several schools are reporting high numbers of cases this week, including Sprayberry High School in East Cobb, where there are 69 active cases, and 120 overall since July 1.

Those are the highest weekly and overall totals in the district since the new school year began.

The first two games of the Sprayberry football season have been cancelled, although an official reason for those decisions has not been announced.

The figures in Cobb, which doesn’t require mask use, are similar to those in Gwinnett, which has a mask mandate.

Gwinnett, the largest school district in Georgia with 180,000 students, reported 1,041 cases this week and 1,548 close contacts.

The Cobb school district doesn’t break down the numbers of cases between staff and students, nor does it disclose how many people are out due to quarantine policy or how many individuals are tested.

The Cobb statistics also do not indicate how many serious illnesses and hospitalizations may stem from infections at the schools.

Fifth graders at East Side Elementary School in East Cobb did virtual learning for a week and a half after an outbreak there; this week 22 more cases were reporting, for a cumulative total of 106.

At Sope Creek Elementary School there were 18 new cases reported; 17 each at McCleskey Middle School, Walton High School and Wheeler High School; 15 at Kell High School; and 14 at Lassiter High School.

Since July 1, there have been 2,797 cases reported in the Cobb school district, which has 109,000 students and 18,000 teachers and staff and is the second-largest in the state.

Cobb remains one of the few school districts in metro Atlanta that doesn’t require universal mask usage. Marietta City Schools issued a mask mandate that began this week, and as community spread metrics continued to rise.

The 14-day average of cases per 100,000 people in Cobb was nearing 800, several times above the “high community spread” threshold of 100 cases per 100,000.

Cobb and Douglas Public Health director Dr. Janet Memark sent out another urgent message Thursday, imploring the public to wear masks and get vaccinated.

“We are also seeing concerning numbers of children being infected with COVID-19,” she said. “In children 5-17 years-old, there has been a 60% increase in cases since last week, and we have seen numbers double for children aged 11-17. The number of cases and outbreaks reported in schools is also very high.”

She didn’t provide numbers on how many more cases overall are being reported for children. Memark has urged the schools to follow current CDC guidance recommending mask usage in schools.

“I know that we are all struggling through this Delta surge. For the next few weeks, I advise everyone to be cautious,” Memark said. “The virus is around you EVERYWHERE. Your best defense is getting vaccinated and wearing your masks. Until numbers come down, I would not gather in large groups. We can only get through this by working together. That being said, do what you can to keep yourselves and your families safe.”