BY JERRY BELLUNE JerryBellune@yahoo.com

Students and staff at 59 Lexington County private and public schools have been infected with covid-19.

That’s 16 more 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 DHEC to reveal specific numbers,

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 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 SC Department of Health and Environmental Control 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 scdhec. gov/covid19schools.

In addition to the 33 affected schools in District 1 in Lexington, Gilbert and Pelion, District 2 in Cayce, Springdale and West Columbia reported 5 schools, District 3 in Batesburg-Leesvile reported 3 schools, District 4 in Gaston and Swansea reported 4 schools and District 5 in Chapin and Irmo reported 10 schools.

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

Cases, deaths

DHEC also reported Tuesday 1 more elderly Lexington County death that occurred Sunday and 43 new covid-19 cases.

Richland County had 3 more deaths - 2 elderly and 1 middle aged - that occurred Sunday and Monday and 55 new virus cases.

Since Oct. 1, Lexington County has lost 21 lives, most of them elderly.

Richland County and Columbia have lost 13 lives.