COVID-19 hits the Hancock County School District

HANCOCK COUNTY, Miss. (WLOX) - Students and teachers at three schools in the Hancock County School District have now been impacted by COVID-19 cases and suspicious symptoms.

Two students at Hancock High School tested positive for COVID-19 this week. Twenty students, who were identified as having close contact with the students, were sent home to quarantine for 14 days.

Two individuals at North Hancock Elementary started showing symptoms this week, but they’re still awaiting test results. Forty students were sent home to quarantine, and will do so until the test results come back. (Editor’s note: The school district originally identified West Hancock as the school with cases, but have since corrected their news release to say the cases are from North Hancock Elem.)

At East Hancock Elementary, one teacher started experiencing symptoms and 24 students were sent home early Thursday to begin quarantine. Within hours, the teacher’s results came back negative for COVID-19 and the children were allowed to return to class Friday.

“When students are quarantined, they become part of our distance learners group that can continue their instruction and assignments at home,” the school district said in a statement. “The parents of students that have been sent home to quarantine have been very cooperative and supportive of the district’s actions as we work to keep everyone as safe as possible. HCSD is grateful to have the support of our parents and community as we all work together to provide the best education possible to our students during the continued presence of COVID.”

The Hancock County School District began fall classes just over a week ago on Thursday, August 6, 2020.