Education

2 Volusia County students, 6 staff members test positive for COVID-19, district says

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.

READ: ‘Shocking’ and ‘disappointing’: Teachers union raises concern over photo of crowded students at Volusia County high school

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.

READ: Florida reports another 130 deaths linked to coronavirus, more than 2K new cases

“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.

Sarah Wilson

Sarah Wilson, WFTV.com

Sarah Wilson joined WFTV Channel 9 in 2018 as a digital producer after working as an award-winning newspaper reporter for nearly a decade in various communities across Central Florida.