After weeks of decline, COVID cases tick up

     After a few weeks of declining COVID-related numbers associated with the Monticello Community School District, this past week, they started creeping up again.

     There are currently 11 positive COVID cases district-wide, K-12, students and staff. That’s an increase of eight cases from the previous week. There are also 17 cases (students and staff) that the district is monitoring. That’s down by just three cases.

     Superintendent Brian Jaeger shared the current facts and figures from the Iowa Department of Public Health… The seven-day positivity rate for Jones County as of Friday, Nov. 12 was 11 percent. That’s a 2 percent increase from the week prior. There have been 64 COVID cases in the past seven days, up 22 from a week ago.

     “It looks like the cases have started to trend up at this time,” warned Jaeger.

     The combined COVID-related absences for the MCSD are around 3 percent, staff and students.