FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — An eastern Kentucky school district canceled classes for the rest of this week to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the highly contagious delta variant causes a surge of infections statewide.
Knott County schools were closed Wednesday through Friday to “increase mitigation efforts” against the coronavirus, Superintendent Brent Hoover said in a social media post Tuesday night. The shutdown includes “all extracurricular activities, school-sponsored events and practices,” he said.
“I want to ensure you that student and staff safety will continue to be our top priority,” he said.
Lee County public schools, also in eastern Kentucky, were closed Monday through Wednesday of this week after a COVID-19 outbreak among some students and school staff.
Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order last week requiring mask-wearing in K-12 schools across Kentucky. The state school board followed up with an emergency regulation requiring masking in public schools.
The state reported 3,276 new COVID-19 cases and eight more virus-related deaths on Tuesday. The rate of Kentuckians testing positive for the virus neared 12.5%.
