Cherokee County school bus driver dies after battle with COVID-19

The Cherokee County School District is mourning the loss of one of its bus drivers after a battle with COVID-19.

Officials tell FOX 5 that the 63-year-old school bus driver was hospitalized after becoming infected with COVID-19 during winter break. He passed away on Jan. 28.

While school officials could not release the driver's name, they said he served the district for three years on Creekview Zone bus routes.

"He had served CCSD for the past three years with dedication and excellence and will be missed by his students and colleagues and all who knew him," the Cherokee County School District said in a statement.

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Officials are asking everyone to keep following best practices - including social distancing and mask use - as well as seeking testing if you are experiencing any symptoms or have had close contact with someone who tested positive for the virus.

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As of Tuesday morning, Cherokee County has had 18,074 residents test positive for the virus and 201 confirmed deaths since the start of the pandemic.

On Monday, the Georgia Department of Public Health announced that at least one person in the county has tested positive for a more contagious COVID-19 variant first discovered in the United Kingdom

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