Photo from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

COVID-19 cases are rapidly surging in Iowa, with two-week test positivity rates in 37 counties topping 20 percent, including in Marion County. Local schools have the option if they have a spike in absences to move to virtual learning, however, absences remain low in local schools.

In an update related by the Knoxville Community School District, three individuals out of 2,000 students and staff in the district had a positive test as of Thursday, with just over 1 percent total absences. The district intends to continue with in-person learning, with a virtual option for families that have opted into that program.

There are eight confirmed positive tests of COVID-19 among Pella Community School District students as of Friday, with five new cases over the past week. Overall absences among all in the district is at 2.2%, with Pella continuing in-person school as well.

Face coverings remain required, with distancing, hand-washing, and sanitizing practices continuing in both districts.

As of late Friday, there were a total of 1,304 positive cases of COVID-19 in Marion County since the beginning of the outbreak according to the State of Iowa Coronavirus website, and an increase of 143 over the past six days. Marion County Public Health reported 996 recoveries as of Monday. A Long Term Care Facility outbreak continues at Accura Healthcare in Knoxville, with 17 confirmed cases.