More than 200 Chaparral families told to quarantine after COVID-19 exposure
Oct 18, 2020, 5:22 PM | Updated: Oct 19, 2020, 8:47 am
(Facebook Photo/ Chaparral High School SUSD)
PHOENIX — More than 200 families with students at Chaparral High School in Scottsdale have been instructed to quarantine after multiple coronavirus cases were documented, according to officials.
Scottsdale Unified School District said 219 families with children at the high school received a close contact communication that advised their student to quarantine for 14 days because of possible coronavirus exposure.
On Friday, the Maricopa County Department of Health informed the school that there were a total of 18 known positive coronavirus cases, an increase of four since Thursday, according to SUSD Governing Board Member Jann-Michael Greenburg.
Greenburg told KTAR News 92.3 FM that 10 of those 18 students attended school at least once in the last week.
SUSD Superintendent Dr. Scott Menzel told KTAR News 92.3 FM in an email that based on the current information, none of the cases came from in-school transmission but are the result of activity on fall break like large gatherings and trips.
“While students and staff have been substantially compliant with wearing masks, the guidance from the health department is that individuals deemed to be in close contact quarantine for 14-days and monitor for COVID-like symptoms,” Menzel said.
A close contact case is defined as being within six feet or less for more than ten minutes.
In a Facebook post Sunday, the school said it’s adding 500 new hand washing and sanitation stations throughout campus.
High school students in the district returned to in-person learning last Monday, but athletics and some extra curricular activities have been holding practices before then.
Last month, the school’s junior varsity and varsity football programs canceled games after a varsity player tested positive for COVID-19.