COVID Cluster That Forced High School Into Remote Learning May Be Tied to Homecoming Dance

A Rhode Island high school moved to remote learning for a week after an outbreak of COVID-19 cases that might be tied to a homecoming dance, the Associated Press reported. Pilgrim High School in Warwick started remote classes on Monday, about a week after the dance, and expects them to last through Friday. "Roughly 25 cases among students and staff have been identified," state Department of Health spokesperson Joseph Wendelken told WPRI-TV. "Those individuals could have had many exposures, but more than half reported attending the homecoming dance." A high school in New Jersey also experienced an outbreak of COVID-19 cases that appeared to have come from the homecoming dance. About 200 students at Spotswood High School had to be quarantined after the homecoming dance in October, News 12 New Jersey reported. Students told News 12 New Jersey that they were told they did not have to wear a mask on the dance floor or while eating. The health department in Rhode Island will offer COVID-19 testing for all students and staff from Pilgrim High School on Wednesday morning. The state has fully vaccinated nearly 70 percent of its 1.1 million population, WPRI-TV reported. A couple of days before Halloween, Rhode Island was averaging about 200 new infections per day. As of Monday, the number had jumped 67 percent to about 335. The latest positivity rate is higher than 5 percent. The state reported 516 new coronavirus infections on Tuesday, the highest single-day case count since early April, WPRI-TV reported. For more reporting from the Associated Press, see below.

Cases across the state have been rising for the past few weeks, Department of Health Director Dr. Nicole Alexander-Scott said at a news conference Tuesday. "Thanksgiving is next week," the Warwick School Department said in an email to the school community on Monday. "We know you want to spend time with family and friends. Please take advantage of this opportunity to get tested to ensure safe holidays for everyone." Health officials also recommended limiting contact with others and monitoring for symptoms. With Thanksgiving and associated gatherings just about a week away, she urged residents to take precautions to stop further spread, including testing, vaccinations and mask wearing. "Increases like this are not surprising," Alexander-Scott said. "They remind us that the Delta strain of COVID-19 continues to require active approaches to prevent transmission." Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee urged people eligible for booster shots to get them.

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