SDMA Weekly COVID Update - 2/3/2021

SDMA Weekly COVID Update - 2/3/2021
Posted on 02/03/2021

Dear SDMA Families and Staff,

With spring break approaching (March 13-March 21), the school district has been fielding questions about student and staff travel. While travel is not recommended, the SDMA is not currently prohibiting student or staff travel, or requiring a mandatory quarantine period upon return (unless considered a close contact or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms). Please refer to the newly created SDMA Guidance for Domestic and International Travel for more information.  

COVID-19 data across the state continues to demonstrate better trends. According to the Department of Health Services website, the 7-day averages for new cases (1,270 down from 1,517 last week) and percent positivity (5.2% down from 5.9%) in Wisconsin are the best they have been since the middle of September. Despite this better data, please continue to avoid gatherings and employ strict mitigation strategies during this critical period of recovery. 

Anyone with potential COVID-19 symptoms is encouraged to get tested and may want to take advantage of the free surge testing program at UW Stout or the free testing program supported by the Wisconsin National Guard. 

Dunn County COVID-19 Data Update
The data listed on the Dunn County Dashboard was updated today, and you can see there is now a cumulative total of 4,096 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Dunn County (up from 3,989 last week). According to the Dunn County Facebook page, there are currently 136 active cases in Dunn County and 0 people hospitalized due to COVID-19 (141 and 9 last week). The seven-day moving average for new cases in Dunn County is now at 14 cases per day, or 30 cases/100,000 people (down from 18 cases per day or 40 cases/100,000 people last week). Vaccinations have been administered to 3,268 Dunn County residents- 7% of the population (up from 1,922 and 4% last week).

As can be seen in the cumulative and daily case graphs, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Dunn County has continued to stabilize over the past several weeks. The updated burden chart demonstrates how the burden level in Dunn County dropped from 2000+ in November to approximately 470 today. The burden level in Dunn County is currently listed as "Very High", and the burden would need to fall below 350 to drop into the next category. 

SDMA Student COVID-19 Data
Some of the newly reported cases over the past weeks have been students enrolled in the SDMA. Since September 1, there is a cumulative reported total of 192 student COVID-19 cases (184 confirmed and 8 probable) in the SDMA [up from 185 (177 confirmed and 8 probable) cases last week] with the following breakdown:

  • Menomonie High School-    98 (up from 94 last week) 
  • Menomonie Middle School- 48  (up from 46 last week)
  • Menomonie Elem. Schools- 44  (up from 43 last week) 
  • Menomonie 4K-   2 (same as 2 last week)

Many of the student COVID-19 cases in the SDMA have already been deemed "recovered", and a number of students have been released from the mandatory isolation period. With 2,833 students participating in the in-person instructional model for the second semester, the SDMA currently has 9 active student cases- 0.32% [up from 8 active cases (0.28%) last week]. The breakdown of active student cases includes:

  • Menomonie High School-     6 (up from 5 last week) 
  • Menomonie Middle School-  2 (same as 2 last week) 
  • Menomonie Elem. Schools-  1 (up from 0 last week) 
  • Menomonie 4K-   0 (same as 0 last week)

Today, 4.06% of the students in the SDMA were excluded from school due to close contacts, symptoms, or other COVID-19 concerns (down from 4.31% last week). The 7-day average for student exclusions across the SDMA is 4.56% (down from 5.68% last week). 

The current breakdown of SDMA student exclusions includes:

  • Menomonie High School-      4.39% (up from 3.73% last week)
  • Menomonie Middle School-   6.55% (up from 6.38% last week)
  • Wakanda Elementary-           2.92%  (down from 6.41% last week)
  • River Heights Elementary-     4.25%  (up from 3.97% last week)
  • Oaklawn Elementary-            1.89%  (down from 2.21% last week)
  • Knapp Elementary-                0.00%  (same as 0.00% last week)
  • Downsville Elementary-         2.47%  (same as 2.47% last week)
  • Menomonie 4K-                     2.42%  (down from 3.64% last week)

SDMA Staff COVID-19 Data
There have been a total of 56 staff cases in the SDMA since the start of the school year (same as 56 last week), all of which have been released from isolation, so there are currently 0 active staff cases in the SDMA (down from 1 last week). Today, 1.59% of the 565 district staff members were excluded from work for COVID-19 reasons (down from 1.77% last week). The 7-day average for staff exclusions across the SDMA is 2.33% (down from 2.93% last week). 

Hopefully the worst of the COVID-19 pandemic is already behind us, but it is critical that we all stay vigilant for a little while longer. Please continue to avoid unnecessary gatherings, Wash Up, Mask Up, and Back Up to reduce the likelihood of needing to quarantine or isolate due to a COVID-19 exposure. Also, if you, or anyone in your family has been exposed to COVID-19 and/or is experiencing possible COVID-19 symptoms, please get tested, stay home, and help stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

Sincerely,

Joe Zydowsky