Student at Maricopa High School tested positive for COVID-19

article

MARICOPA, Ariz. - FOX 10 has learned that a high school student in Maricopa has contracted COVID-19.

On August 24, a statement was posted to the Maricopa Unified School District website, saying that school officials were notified of the positive test result on the same day.

"Pursuant to CDC guidelines, staff and administration at Maricopa High School have contacted the students and/or employees believed to have been in close or direct contact with the student so that those individuals may take appropriate protective measures," read a portion of the statement.

While the student's identity was not revealed, school officials said, in the statement, that members of the football and wrestling teams, along with their coaches, have been instructed to quarantine.

School officials also say all areas where the student was present have been closed off, and either have been or will be cleaned and disinfected before they are reopened.

According to the school district calendar, the first day of distance learning at MUSD was July 30. An on-site learning location, however, did begin to operate at Maricopa High on August 17.

The issue of resuming in-person classes has been controversial, with in-person learning delayed at J.O. Combs Unified School District in San Tan Valley due to a mass call-out by staff members worried about safety, which led to classes being canceled for August 17, 18, and 19. The school district's governing board decided on August 19 to resume classes via virtual instructions only. Those classes began on August 20.

Maricopa is located to the south of Phoenix.

This story was reported on from Phoenix

Tune in to FOX 10 Phoenix for the latest news

Get the latest coronavirus news by downloading the FOX 10 News App. Our promise is that our alerts are there to inform you - not scare you.

On CoronavirusNOW.com, you'll find extensive coverage about COVID-19, including breaking news from around the country, exclusive interviews with health officials, and informative content from a variety of public health resources.

COVID-19 symptoms

Symptoms for coronavirus COVID-19 include fever, coughing, and shortness of breath. These, of course, are similar to the common cold and flu.

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever.

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.