Sharon Reports New Student Coronavirus Case At High School

SHARON, MA — Sharon Public Schools reported on Wednesday that a student at Sharon High School has tested positive for coronavirus, the district's 11th new case since Jan. 5.

According to a letter to families from Superintendent of Schools Meg Dussault, close contacts of the individual have been told of their potential exposure.

"I have been informed of another student at SHS who has tested positive for COVID," said Dussault in a Twitter post. "All contact tracing has been completed and all involved have been notified."

Since the first week of January, Sharon Public Schools have reported 11 new COVID-19 cases, including three at East Elementary School, two at Cottage Street Elementary School, three at Heights Elementary School, and three at Sharon High School.

Sharon Public Schools released data from the first pool of their COVID-19 testing initiative on Jan. 13, reporting that all tests came back negative. The second round of pool testing will begin on Jan. 25.

The district also announced the official launch of a partnership with the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, which will enable the district to use BinaxNow tests to diagnose symptomatic or antigen positive students and staff free of charge. Those who test positive receive a confirmation email and instructions about further testing.

According to the latest statistics released by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, Sharon has experienced a total of 526 confirmed COVID-19 cases, with 91 reported in the two weeks leading up to Jan. 14. The town has an average daily incidence rate of 35.6 and a 4% positivity rate, an increase from last week's average daily incidence rate of 31.3 and a decrease from last week's 4.14% positivity rate.