Students and staff at 55 Lexington County private and public schools have been infected with covid-19.

That’s 4 fewer schools this week than last.

State health officials continue to hide case numbers in reporting fewer than 5 cases “to protect privacy.”

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.

The most alarming numbers of the DHEC site this week were 13 students at Lexington High and 11 students at River Bluff Hugh.

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 infected 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, SC numbers

On the DHEC web site you can see all the districts in the state including the other 4 Lexington County districts and county private schools.

That address is www.scdhec.gov/covid19schools .

23 District 1 schools in Lexington, Gilbert and Pelion are affected, down from 33 schools last week.

District 2 in Cayce, Springdale and West Columbia reported 7 schools affected, 2 more than last week.

District 3 in Batesburg-Leesville reported 3 schools.

District 4 in Gaston and Swansea reported 3 schools, 1 less than last week.

District 5 in Chapin and Irmo reported 13 schools, 3 more than last week.

4 county private schools also reported infections and are listed on the DHEC site.

In the state, 1,143 public and charter school cases were reported and 488 private school cases for a total 1,631 cases.

Cases, deaths

DHEC also reported Tuesday 2 more elderly Lexington County deaths and 34 new covid-19 cases.

Columbia and Richland County had 1 more elderly death and 67 virus cases.