Oswego School District reports uptick in student COVID-19 cases

The number of new confirmed cases of COVID-19 among Oswego School District 308 students increased over the past week.

According to data provided by the district, 32 students reported testing positive for the virus the week of Nov. 8-14, nine more than the 23 students who tested positive during the week of Nov. 1-7.

The district reported 26 new cases among students the week of Oct. 25-Nov. 1 and 29 new cases among students the week of Oct. 18-24.

The district, the seventh largest in Illinois, has an enrollment of more than 17,000 students.

Of the 32 new cases reported over the past week, 23 were at the elementary school level, five at the junior high school level and four at the high school level.

A total of nine of the new cases were reported among students at Old Post Elementary School in Oswego, while four were reported at The Wheatlands Elementary in Aurora, three were reported at Lakewood Creek Elementary in Montgomery and two were reported at Grande Park Elementary in Plainfield.

Single new cases were reported among students at Fox Chase, Southbury and Hunt Cub Elementary Schools and Brokaw Early Learning Center, all in Oswego.

At the junior high school level, three new cases were reported at Traugbher Junior High School in Oswego, while one new case was reported at Bednarick Junior High in Aurora and Murphy Junior High in Plainfield.

A total of four new cases were reported among students at the high school level, three at Oswego High School and one at Oswego East High School.

The number of students reported in exclusion due to exposure to the virus increased from over the past week from 85 to 115. The district defines exclusion as students and staff who are a close contact to a known case of COVID-19, closer than 3 feet with masks in school or 6 feet apart without a mask or exposure not based in school for a total of 15 minutes or longer in a 24 hour period. Symptomatic individuals are not included in exclusion metrics, unless they test positive or are named as a close contact.

A total of 69 of the students in exclusion over the past week were at elementary schools, while 33 were at junior high schools and 13 at the high school level.

Nine staff members report testing positive

In a related matter, the district reported nine of its staff members reported testing positive for COVID-19 over the past week, three more than the six new cases reported the week of Nov. 1-7.

A total of six of the nine positive cases were reported at the elementary school level. Three cases were reported among staff members at Old Post Elementary while one case each was reported at Grande Park Elementary, Lakewood Creek Elementary and at Brokaw Early Learning Center.

Single new cases of the virus were reported among staff members at Traughber Junior High School in Oswego and at Oswego East and Oswego High schools.

A total of 20 staff members were listed as in exclusion due to exposure to the virus over the past week, up from 11 the prior week.