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MINERAL WELLS -- An employee at Mineral Wells Elementary School and an individual at Martin Elementary schools each tested positive for COVID-19, according to press releases issued Thursday by Wood County Schools.
The release did not specify if it was a Martin student or employee that tested positive for the virus.
While it's the first positive case for Mineral Wells, it's the second positive test for Martin Elementary, the first occurring on Sept. 18.
Wood County Schools made the announcements in a pair of press releases saying the district is working closely with the Mid-Ohio Valley Health Department to identify anyone who may have had close contact with the individuals. A spokesperson for the district confirmed the person at Mineral Wells was a staff member.
Only those in their affected classrooms will be quarantined. When a positive case occurs in the school, the Health Department is in charge of handling those affected.
Wood County Schools has increased cleaning protocols in place in all schools, and rooms and common areas will be cleaned thoroughly as normal.
"Any individual(s) that need to be quarantined, based on the guidance of the Center for Disease Control (CDC), will be contacted by the Health Department," the release said.
The Health Department is conducting an investigation and doing contact tracing in both cases. Anyone identified as a potential contact through that process will be notified, the release said.
"Please understand that contact tracing and testing takes time and that there are levels of contact: low, medium, and high," the release said. "Notifications will be made while maintaining confidentiality when a close contact is confirmed and quarantine is necessary. The health department will notify Wood County Schools when an employee or student is placed in quarantine."
The release asks community members to continue to follow established COVID-19 protocols, including handwashing, use of hand sanitizer, wearing face coverings and practicing social distancing.
Tyler Bennett can be reached at tbennett@newsandsentinel.com