Highland County is currently seeing 28 new COVID-19 cases per day, which is about 66 cases per 100,000 in population, according to The New York Times COVID Tracker. Last Monday, the tracker reported that the county was seeing 15 new cases per day, or about 34 cases per 100,000 in population.

Highland County’s COVID-19 case rate stood at 604.7 cases per 100,000 in population over the previous two weeks, according to the ODH Coronavirus Dashboard, which was last updated Thursday. The case rate was above the state average of 601.1 cases per 100,000 in population over the same time frame and ranks the county at 50th among the state’s 88 counties in terms of the highest case rates.

The Highland County Health Department reported on its Facebook page that it will have “several” COVID-19 and flu clinics in December at its office at 1487 N. High Street, Suite 400, in Hillsboro. The health department said that at the clinics it will offer first, second and booster doses of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines and the first and second dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The health department also said that people can schedule an appointment, but it also allows walk-ins.

Highland County schools saw 15 new COVID-19 cases from Nov. 22-28, according to an Ohio Department of Health (ODH) update that documents how each school in the county is faring with COVID-19 during the 2021-22 school year.

The last time The Times-Gazette reported on COVID-19 cases in county schools was from Nov. 15-21 when the schools saw 25 new COVID-19 cases.

Following are the total number of COVID-19 cases each county school has had during the current school year as well as the number of new cases from Nov. 22-28:

* Bright Local had three new student cases but no new staff cases. It has had 26 total student cases and three total staff cases.

* Fairfield Local had no new student or staff cases. It has had 59 total student cases and 16 total staff cases.

* Greenfield Exempted Village had seven new student cases and one new staff case. It has had 154 total student cases and 22 total staff cases.

* The Highland County Board of DD had no new student or staff cases and has had no total student or staff cases so far this school year.

* The Hillsboro Christian Academy Preschool had no new student or staff cases. It has had four total student cases and three total staff cases.

* The Hillsboro Christian Academy Private School had no new student or staff cases. It has had four total student cases and three total staff cases.

* Hillsboro City had no new student cases but one new staff case. It has had 115 total student cases and 28 total staff cases.

* Lynchburg-Clay Local had two new student cases and one new staff case. It has had 48 total student cases and nine total staff cases.

* St. Mary Catholic Preschool had no new student or staff cases. It has had no total student or staff cases so far this school year.

* St. Mary Catholic Private School had no new student or staff cases. It has had three total student cases and one total staff case so far this school year.

* Stonewall Academy had no new student or staff cases. It has had no total student or staff cases so far this school year.

Highland County has continued its stay in the highest risk category in terms of community transmission, according to the Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) COVID Data Tracker which was last updated Saturday. There are four different levels of community transmission — Low, Moderate, Substantial and High. Highland County is currently in the “High” designation.

In terms of vaccinations, Highland County is currently at 37.86 percent of the county’s residents that have started their vaccines, according to the ODH COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard. The state average for “vaccine started” is 58.31 percent.

In terms of completed vaccines, the state average is 53.48 percent, while the Highland County average is at 34.60 percent.

The dashboard also said there have been 3,967 “third” doses administered in the county on or after Aug. 12, to people that were already fully vaccinated.

Reach Jacob Clary at 937-402-2570.