Mead sees first in-school COVID-19 transmissions as other districts’ cases rise

Reflecting the regional trend, COVID-19 metrics are on the rise again in several Inland Northwest school districts.

One of the hardest-hit is the Mead School District, which on Thursday reported 85 positive cases in the past two weeks, five of which originated inside schools.

The in-school transmissions are the first this year in the 10,500-student district.

According to the district’s dashboard, 65 of the people infected have been students and 20 are staff.

Of the five in-school transmissions, all were among staff – two at Prairie View Elementary, one at Northwood Middle School, two at Mead High School and one at Mt. Spokane High School.

None of the 65 students who is COVID-positive has contracted the virus at school, according to contact tracers.

Most districts do not differentiate between internal and external transmissions.

In-school transmissions, however, also are on the rise in Spokane Public Schools, which has seen six in the past two weeks. During that same period, the district has reported 33 positive tests.

Central Valley had 43 positive tests during the past 14 days, with 188 individuals quarantined as a result.

Deer Park, the only other district to report in-person transmissions, has reported three such cases since the school year began in September. Overall, the district has had seven positive cases in the past two weeks, with 47 people quarantined.

West Valley has had six positive cases and 54 in quarantine in the past two weeks.

Coeur d’Alene Public Schools reported Thursday that 69 people are isolated after testing positive, and that 448 are in quarantine.

Post Falls reported 20 positive tests during the past two weeks.

Lakeland of Rathdrum has had 166 positive tests since Aug. 31.