PEPPER PIKE, Ohio — Orange School District in Cuyahoga County announced Thursday that classes will remain remote due to the rising number of COVID-19 cases as well as the county being placed under a Level 3 – Red Alert by the Ohio Department of Health.
“The health and safety of our students, staff and community are at the forefront of our decision-making as we navigate through providing your children with a quality educational experience during the ongoing pandemic,” said Orange Schools Superintendent Dr. Lynn Campbell.
This upcoming Monday, the district had originally planned for students to return to in-person classes with some course online in a mixed-hybrid model.
“Our Orange Schools families, along with our teachers, support staff, administrators and community, have worked hard in preparation for the in-person return of students. We were looking forward to having our wonderful students grace the hallways once again! However, we will continue to follow the back-to-school advice shared by health experts from the Cuyahoga County Board of Health," Campbell said.
The district is still working on its plan for winter sports and will determine when it plans on moving to hybrid instruction at a later date, according to the superintendent.
On Thursday, the ODH reported 2,178 new COVID-19 cases, the largest single-day number of cases in the state since the pandemic began. More than 5,000 people have died from coronavirus across the state.
In Cuyahoga County, 123 new cases were reported Thursday. Specifically, in Cleveland, 22 cases were reported.
Statewide, the number of hospitalizations recently doubled as the positivity rate climbed to 5.4%, which is higher than the rolling 7-day average of 4.2%.
Doctors have attributed the rise in cases to people attending social gatherings and not wearing masks.
RELATED: Ohio reports 2,178 new daily COVID-19 cases, breaking state record for third time in a week
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