Houston, Sep 4 (IANS): More than 27,000 students tested positive for Covid-19 across Texas last week, according to official data.

The data released on Friday revealed that public schools in the state self-reported 27,353 student cases and 4,447 staff cases on campus through August 29, reports Xinhua news agency.

The combined school cases, 31,800, made up about 30 per cent of all cases in Texas.

Student cases have grown rapidly in the last three weeks since the beginning of in-person classes across the state, said a report from local media outlet WFAA.

Last week, Texas Governor Greg Abbott announced an executive order banning Covid-19 vaccine mandates from government entities, including public schools, two days after the Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to the Pfizer jab.

"No governmental entity can compel any individual to receive a Covid-19 vaccine," read the order, which excludes places like nursing homes and state-supported living centre.

As a result, public institutions in Texas including state agencies, local governments, universities, public schools and any other entities that receive public funding, are banned from compelling employees to get the shots or asking people who use their services for proof of vaccination.

Also last week, the Texas Supreme Court temporarily gave green light to Abbott's ban on school mask mandates, blocking Bexar County from continuing to defy his executive order.

Key pandemic metrics in Texas continue to reach levels not seen since the last spike in the winter, according to state and local health agencies.

The total number of students enrolled in Texas public schools this year stands at 5,340,108, according to the data.