VALDOSTA – More than 70 students have been designated as “close contacts” in connection with the coronavirus within the Lowndes County School System, according to the system’s weekly COVID-19 update late last week.

The school has substituted “close contacts” with what had been the number of students quarantined in past reports. The specific close contact number is 74 students due to school exposure.

Lowndes County Schools reported 24 or .23% of students have a positive case of COVID-19 out of the system’s student population of 10,621. 

Three or .22% of school employees have tested positive out of 1,390 employees and none have been designated as a close contact due to possible exposure at school, according to the report.

”For the past seven days, 99.16% of our 12,011 staff & students were at school and work,” school officials said in a statement. “Those off-campus include 27 positive cases and 74 community exposures. 

“Virtual instruction is offered to any student while quarantined or isolated if the COVID reporting form is completed, located on our website under For Families/COVID Reporting.”