LA GRANDE — The La Grande School District’s COVID-19 numbers continue to plummet.

The school district’s most recent statistics indicate that 17 students missed school during the week of Feb. 14-18 because of positive COVID-19 tests, COVID-19, symptoms or close contact with those who have COVID-19.

The new student figures are down dramatically from the week of Feb. 7-11 when 60 students and two staff were absent from school due to COVID-19. They are down even more significantly from the week of Jan. 18-21 when 153 students missed school due to COVID-19.

The school district’s Feb. 14-18 statistics indicate that two staff members — one each from Greenwood Elementary School and La Grande Middle School — were absent due to positive COVID-19 tests.

The same set of statistics indicate that 12 students missed school because of positive COVID-19 tests, a decline of 10 from the previous week, with four from La Grande High School, three from Central Elementary School, two each from the middle school and Island City Elementary School, and one from Greenwood Elementary School.

Just two students, both from LMS, missed school Feb. 14-18 because of close contact with someone who was COVID-19 positive. This is down 38 students from the week of Feb. 7-11. No staff members were out due to close contact, down from a week ago when one employee was absent.

Three students were out due to primary COVID-19 symptoms, one at Central and two at Island City. No staff members were out though due to COVID-19 symptoms.

The La Grande School District’s statistics for Feb. 14-18 also indicate that seven students had close contacts but were able to stay in school under the state’s test-to-stay program, because they tested negative for COVID-19 or because they were fully vaccinated. All seven of the students were at Central.