More than 600 students and employees at Gaston County Schools tested positive for COVID-19 during the first semester of the 2020-21 school year.
As of the week of Dec. 14, 2020, 650 students and employees contracted the virus at some point during the semester, according to charts provided by the school district.
That total includes 21 COVID-19 cases at the school district central office and seven cases among those in Gaston Virtual Academy.
Aside from the occasional dip, case totals per week within the school district has steadily increased since school began in August.
Gaston County Schools reported a massive jump, from 65 cases the week of Nov. 30 to 119 cases the following week.