A 28-year-old teacher has died of coronavirus just two weeks after she returned to school.
Demetria Bannister, from Columbia in South Carolina, was preparing to begin the new academic year.
Ms Bannister, who taught third grade, had last been in school on August 28 with colleagues as they prepared for the term start date on August 31.
It is not known where she picked up Covid-19 but was diagnosed with the disease last Friday before she sadly died on Monday, the Metro reports.
Ms Bannister, who also led the choir at Windsor Elementary School in Columbia, had been leading online classes during the pandemic.
A deep clean is now underway at the school.
Contact tracers are also trying to track down any colleagues the young teacher came into contact with.
Baron Davis, superintendent for the Richland 2 district which includes Ms Bannister's school, paid a poignant tribute to her.
He said: "While gone from us too soon, Ms Bannister’s legacy lives on through the lives of the students she taught in her five years as a dedicated education."
