More COVID-19 cases reported 4 Manatee County public elementary schools. Dozens sent home

Six people — four employees and two students — at four Manatee County public elementary schools have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, the Manatee County School District reported Wednesday. As a result, at least 79 people were sent into quarantine because they were directly exposed to one of the infected people while at school.

The newest cases were reported at:

• Abel Elementary School, one positive employee and 25 exposures.
• Bashaw Elementary School, one positive student and 21 exposures.
• Sea Breeze Elementary School, three positive employees and 12 exposures.
• Tara Elementary School, one positive student and 21 exposures.

As of Wednesday, the highest number COVID-19 cases this semester — 18 — has been reported at Manatee High School, followed by 16 at Parrish Community High School and 14 each at Buffalo Creek Middle School and Southeast High School.

The district has reported a total of 291 coronavirus infections and at least 4,077 quarantines this semester, which started Jan. 4. To read the number of cases and exposures at each campus, go to the school district’s online dashboard at manateeschools.net.