VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — Volusia County Schools reported that two students and six staff members have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Wednesday afternoon.
The district said those cases are at Creekside Middle, Deland Middle, Port Orange Elementary and in the student transportation department.
These numbers mark the first time the district has publicly released any information about coronavirus cases in its classrooms.
School board member Carl Persis said releasing the numbers and locations was a decision the interim superintendent made Wednesday.
He said the change was prompted by what some of the other districts around the state are doing.
Volusia United Educators President Elizabeth Albert said the district’s decision to publicly release the number of positive COVID-19 cases is a victory.
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“That’s all we have been asking for all along,” she said. “This is a public health crisis and we have been asking for transparency, openness just so we have the information to keep everyone safe.”
Until now, the district said the Department of Health would only notify those people deemed to be close contacts of a positive case.
Persis said that now the district will be releasing the numbers, categorized into students and staff overall, twice a week, as well as a list of the schools involved. But he said the district will not detail the specific numbers per school.
Cox Media Group
