2 football players at Florida high school test positive for COVID-19, 36 others quarantined, officials say
TAVARES, Fla. - A high school football team is on quarantine in Lake County after a couple of players tested positive for COVID-19.
It is quiet on the football field at Tavares High School because the team is in quarantine, as two players have tested positive for COVID-19.
"It was very disappointing but we want to make sure that the students and the adults that were working with them shut down practice and quarantine for the recommended 14 days," school district spokesperson Sherri Owens says. "It all started as they were working out on the football field last week.
"They were following safety protocols. They were socially distanced. They were doing everything they were supposed to do," she explained. However, then lightning filled the sky, and "unexpectedly and very quickly, a lightning storm came up and they ran to take cover in the fieldhouse. Once they were in the fieldhouse there was not enough space for them to continue to social distance."
As a result, practice has been canceled for a couple of weeks.
"Out of an abundance of caution, we asked that all 33 quarantine for 14 days and we asked the same of the 5 adults who were working with them," Owens said.
Five coaches also in quarantine.
Tavares High School is not the only Lake County school dealing with the coronavirus.
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"At Leesburg Elementary School we did have one student who was enrolled in the summer enrichment program there test positive," she added. As a precaution, students and teachers in that group must quarantine as well. "All 13 of those students were asked to quarantine 14 days."
School board member Bill Mathias said that this is practice for when class begins explaining that "this is kind of a pretest to what we know is going to happen as we begin the school year. Contact with the Health Department, CDC in the way the district reacted was completely seamless. So, I’m pleased with how we reacted."
The latest report from the Florida Department of Health shows that there have been 301,810 cases of COVID-19 statewide, resulting in 4,521 deaths. That is an increase of 10,181 cases and 112 deaths since Tuesday morning.
Despite the surge in cases, the Florida Department of Education is ordering districts to reopen all brick and mortar schools five days a week and offer full services starting in August. School districts across Central Florida are finalizing plans for student's return.
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FOX 35 News originally reported that 33 other students were infected but it was actually just 31 other students, the public information officer for the district clarified.