Dozens Of COVID-19 Cases Reported In Coachella Valley Schools

COACHELLA VALLEY, CA — School districts in the Coachella Valley are reporting dozens of active COVID-19 cases.

The Palm Springs Unified School District reported more than 80 active COVID-19 cases among students and staffers Friday.

According to the district's online case tracker, 68 students and 14 staff members across 27 schools have tested positive for COVID-19.

Cathedral City High School has 10 confirmed active student cases. Only four of the 27 schools within the district have no active COVID-19 cases.

The district updates the case tracker website daily and breaks down case numbers per school, distinguishing between cases involving students and staff. Once a case is no longer considered active, it is removed from the district's tracker.

Parents of students who come into direct contact with a positive COVID- 19 case will be notified by the district's Health Services Department, officials said.

More than 20,000 students returned to classrooms Aug. 4 under new COVID-19 protocols that include mask-wearing indoors regardless of vaccination status. Masks are optional outdoors and "high-touch surfaces" are required to be cleaned on a daily basis, according to a 10-page document highlighting the district's COVID-19 precautions.

The COVID-19 active case tracker and COVID-19 guidelines can be found at psusd.us/Page/7431.

The Coachella Valley Unified School District Friday reported a total of 34 active COVID-19 cases among students and staff, with the largest number at Valle Del Sol Elementary School.

According to a COVID-19 active case tracker on the district's website, there are 29 cases among students and four among staff across the district's campuses.

At Valle Del Sol Elementary School, there are 10 cases among students, according to the district. Only seven of the 23 campuses listed have no cases.

The online tracker is meant to be a "live document" updated regularly with the most current statistics, according to CVUSD spokeswoman Lissette Santiago.

The district began its fall classes on Aug. 12. Mask-wearing is mandatory for all students, staff and visitors while indoors.

Other safety protocols in place include student plexiglass dividers available by family, student or teacher request; physical distancing to the extent possible; regular sanitizing of classrooms and common indoor areas; and making COVID testing available to students and community members.

The district's COVID-19 case tracker and COVID-19 guidelines can be found at cvusd.us/cvusd-community/safe-return-to-school.