Photo from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Despite another surge in COVID-19 locally and across the state, absences remain low in the Pella Community School District. According to the Pella Schools’ Coronavirus website, the percentage of kids missing classes is down to 1.4%, with a low of 30 students total reported three times in the past week. Four of those are for positive COVID-19 tests. Staff absences are up to 3.1% for COVID-19.

Schools can switch to virtual learning if the two-week positive test rate is above 15% and absences cross 10%. The testing rate is at 18.4% in Marion County.

In the most recent weekly report at Central College, 73 students were quarantined for exposure and 16 additional positive cases were confirmed from October 26th through November 1st. There have been 57 COVID-19 cases since August 24th at Central College.

Hospitalizations due to the virus continue to spike statewide, topping 800 on Wednesday. There are eight residents in Marion County getting care at a hospital. There are a total of 1217 cases since the outbreak began, with 43 additional positive tests reported after Election Day on the State of Iowa Coronavirus database, and as of Monday, Marion County Public Health reported 996 recoveries. A 12th death due to COVID-19 was reported this week, as was a Long Term Care Outbreak at Accura Healthcare in Knoxville, which has 17 positive cases.