The number of new COVID-19 coronavirus cases among students, teachers and staff in Mississippi schools was lower than the number the prior week, the state reported Tuesday.

Mississippi State Department of Health officials reported that last week 3,929 new COVID-19 cases were found in students and another 595 cases were found among teachers and staff.

In the prior week 5,763 cases among students were found along with 945 new cases in teachers and other school staff.

The state reported 23,450 students were quarantined last week due to COVID-19 exposure, also lower than the prior week by approximately 5,000.

The lower numbers could be attributed to a great number of schools simply not reporting to the state. This week only 669 schools reported their COVID data to the state, some 166 less schools than the prior week.

Since the beginning of August, of the schools reporting, 13,715 cases in students were found along with 2,527 cases in teachers and staff.

To see the weekly reports from the state, visit: https://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/14,0,420,972.html