8 counties report new school coronavirus outbreaks, bringing total to 66 across N.J. – NJ.com

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Although an increasing number of schools are switching to all-virtual learning, New Jersey students and teachers are continuing to transmit the coronavirus in the classroom and during other in-school activities, according to the states latest statistics on in-school outbreaks.

Ten new outbreaks were reported in schools in eight counties this week, bringing the totals to 66 outbreaks involving 269 students, teachers and school staff since the start of the school year, according to the states COVID-19 dashboard.

School outbreaks are defined as cases in which contact tracers determine two or more students or school staff caught or transmitted the coronavirus to each other at school or during school activities. Cases in which people contracted the virus at home, at parties, during sports practices or during other activities are not included in the totals.

Citing the privacy of students and staff who tested positive, state officials did not identify the names of the schools with outbreaks or any of the details about how the virus was transmitted at school despite mask rules and social distancing measures.

This weeks newly-reported outbreaks include: two in Cape May County (involving a total of 4 cases) and two in Monmouth County (involving a total of 8 cases). There was also one new school outbreak each in: Camden (involving 3 cases); Bergen (2 cases); Cumberland (2 cases); Mercer (2 cases); Somerset (5 cases); and Warren (2 cases).

There were also two additional positive COVID-19 tests in Salem County related to school outbreaks that had previously been reported.

With hundreds of school districts open for in-person classes, Gov. Phil Murphy has said the number of school outbreaks is relatively low and an indication that most schools are doing a good job keeping students safe. He has cited the statistics as one of the reasons why he has not called for a statewide school shutdown during the second wave of COVID-19 currently sweeping the country.

However, some critics have cited the school outbreak numbers as misleading because they do not include the total number of students and teachers who have tested positive for the virus since schools reopened.

School data reported by the state is misleading at best because it does not include cases where students or staff are infected with COVID during school-related activities such as sports and other extracurricular programs. School buildings and school-related activities are far more dangerous than the states data indicate, the New Jersey Education Association, the states largest teachers union, said in a statement last week.

The 66 confirmed school outbreaks were in:

Only Essex and Morris counties have reported no school outbreaks, the state said.

The numbers include both public and private K-12 schools.

Most of the states school districts continue to operate on hybrid schedules that bring a limited number of students into classrooms each day on a rotating basis while others learn at home via laptops and live video classes.

But the number of public school districts announcing a switch to all-virtual classes has been growing each day.

Newton, Toms River, Gloucester Township, Pemberton Township, Vineland, Hoboken, North Brunswick, Old Bridge, Woodbridge, Vernon and Phillipsburg are among the school districts that recently announced they are moving to all-remote learning.

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Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com.

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8 counties report new school coronavirus outbreaks, bringing total to 66 across N.J. - NJ.com