Dawson County School System officials say that confirmed COVID-19 cases have been identified in two local schools, requiring dozens of Dawson County students to be quarantined. 

According to an email statement by Superintendent Damon Gibbs, two positive student COVID-19 cases were identified, one at Kilough Elementary School and the other at Dawson County High School on Wednesday. 

Gibbs said that the school system is working with the Georgia Department of Public Health to make sure that many of the 75 impacted students are quarantined over the next two weeks and that the school buildings are sanitized. 

“Our staff has been working with the Department of Public Health to determine appropriate steps in both cases,” Gibbs said. “We are communicating with parents of all students that were determined by DPH to be quarantined for the next 14 days or otherwise impacted. Steps are also being taken to do additional sanitizing in those areas today and tonight.”

Dawson County students returned to in-person classes on Friday, Aug. 7, 2020, with new safety, sanitation and social distancing procedures, but no mandate for students and teachers to wear masks. 

“As a reminder, please do everything possible to maintain social distancing, promote handwashing/hand sanitizer and wear a mask as encouraged. I appreciate your efforts to serve the children of Dawson County,” Gibbs email concluded.

According to the DPH daily COVID-19 status report, 174 COVID-19 cases have been reported in Dawson County over the last two weeks. In that time, two additional deaths and 19 new hospitalizations due to the virus were reported in Dawson County.