By Jerry Bellune 
JerryBellune@yahoo.com

Students and staff at 58 Lexington County private and public schools have been infected with covid-19.
Although more schools are admitting students to classrooms, that’s only 1 more schools this week than last.
State health officials continue to hide case numbers in reporting fewer than 5 cases “to protect privacy.”  
The most alarming numbers of the DHEC site this week were 15 students at Lexington High, 14 at White Knoll, 12 students at River Bluff and 6 at Pelion High. Gilbert High had 5 or less.
District 1 reports specific student/staff case numbers on its website.
You can see the numbers of those infected and how many have been told to stay home as they have been in contact with those who are in
fected to avoid spreading the covid-19 virus.
You can see your child’s school at www.lexdistrict1.com/stronger-together
Click on “dashboard’ in the 2nd paragraph.
County numbers
On the DHEC web site you can see all the districts in the state including the 5 Lexington County districts and county private schools. 
That address is scdhec.gov/covid19schools.
24 District 1 schools in Lexington, Gilbert and Pelion are affected, the same number as last week,.
District 2 in Cayce, Springdale and West Columbia reported 9 schools affected, 1 more than last week.
District 3 in Batesburg-Leesville reported 4 schools, 1 more than last week.
District 4 in Gaston and Swansea reported 4 schools, the same as last week.
 District 5 in Chapin and Irmo reported 13 school, i less than last week.
4 county private schools also reported infections and are listed on the DHEC site.
In the state, 1,643 student cases were reported and 705 staff and faculty cases.
Rep. Chip Huggins and Bill Rogers of the SC Press Association have joined the Chronicle in asking the governor to tell the Department of Health & Environmental Control to reveal specific numbers. 

For the latest local covid-19 news, please check this site daily.