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14 Colorado schools report new COVID outbreaks as students return

Fourteen K-12 schools across the state have reported new COVID-19 outbreaks as school begins.

DENVER — Fourteen K-12 schools across the state have reported new COVID-19 outbreaks as school begins, according to the latest data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).

A total of 17 coronavirus cases have been reported among school staff members, while 115 have been reported among students. 

Outbreaks have been reported at schools in Adams, Arapahoe, Douglas, El Paso, Jefferson, Mesa, and Montrose counties. 

Here's a look at the outbreaks reported this month: 

> Video above: What happened to cohorts in schools?

CDPHE defines an outbreak as five or more cases, except in residential health care and correctional facilities. CDPHE says because outbreaks in those settings may have more severe outcomes, the minimum number of cases is two.

The numbers are cumulative, meaning if an entity has a certain number of cases, that doesn't mean all those people were sick at once. For an outbreak to be resolved, 28 days must pass with no new illnesses.

As the school year was wrapping up last May, the state reported more than 250 active outbreaks in K-12 schools. 

This school year, the state is not requiring most Colorado classrooms to quarantine after a positive COVID-19 exposure. However, local health departments can set stricter mitigation and quarantine procedures. 

RELATED: State health department adopts CDC guidance to minimize school quarantines

RELATED: What happened to cohorts in schools?

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