Luke Ramseth Mississippi Clarion Ledger

Updated 6:47 p.m. CT Aug 17, 2020

State Health Officer Dr. Thomas Dobbs on Monday said 71 of Mississippi's 82 counties have reported positive coronavirus cases within schools — an increase from roughly half of the state's counties that reported positives late last week.

At a news conference with Gov. Tate Reeves, Dobbs said 245 teachers and 199 students have tested positive. Those positives have led to 589 teachers and 2,035 students being placed in quarantine. Many schools have yet to reopen to in-person learning. Dobbs said most students that have tested positive caught the virus outside of campus, and "brought it with them."

As Mississippi schools' positive COVID-19 cases surge, more testing coming for teachers
https://www.clarionledger.com/story/news/politics/2020/08/17/mississippi-71-counties-with-school-coronavirus-cases-covid-19/5600787002/
Gov. Tate Reeves announced new testing protocols for teachers and telehealth flexibility on campuses.