CAIRO — Cairo High School still has more than 50 students in quarantine this week, according to data from the Grady County School System, though rates of possible exposure to the novel coronavirus across the school system as a whole has seen a drop in the past seven days.

A total of 158 students in Grady County were in quarantine as of Thursday — a drop from the 256 recorded last week and from the 183 the school system reported Tuesday. Fifty-six students in quarantine this week attend CHS, down from 148 at the same point last week.

Another 43 students and five employees at Whigham School are currently quarantined after a student and two employees tested positive for the virus.

At least four students are currently known to have a positive COVID-19 status. Positive cases have been identified at CHS, Shiver School, Washington Middle School and Whigham School.

A total of three employees are also known to have the virus — two at Whigham and one at CHS.

Fifteen employees are currently in quarantine due to possible exposure to the virus.

Across Grady County as a whole, 26 new cases of the virus were detected, bringing the county’s running total up to 822. 

One individual died of the virus Sunday, bringing the county’s death toll to 23.

Archbold Medical Center reported earlier this week that six individuals were admitted for care due to the virus. Ninety-three county residents have been hospitalized with the virus. 

The Grady County Health Department will host free specimen collection tests every Tuesday and Friday this month from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. with the exceptions of Tuesday, October 13 and Friday, October 30. 

Additional testing dates will take place Monday, October 12; Wednesday, October 14; and Saturday, October 31. 

Patients are encouraged to schedule appointments by calling (229) 352-6567 from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Fridays or between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturdays. Patients can also visit www.covid19.dph.ga.gov and select “Take the Screening Questionnaire” to begin the application process.

Visit www.southwestgeorgiapublichealth.org to see the full testing schedule for all southwest Georgia counties.