Second COVID-19 case linked to Melbourne High School football team

Team already in quarantine following first reported case

Football generic ball on football field generic (Photo by Brett Carlsen/Getty Images) (Brett Carlsen, 2018 Brett Carlsen)

MELBOURNE, Fla. – Brevard County Public School officials have confirmed a second coronavirus case linked to Melbourne High School’s football team.

School officials confirmed the second case of COVID-19 on Thursday, two days after the school district said the entire team was entering quarantine after a person affiliated with the team tested positive for the coronavirus.

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The school district said earlier in the week that the decision was made “after careful deliberation, in consultation with the Brevard Department of Health.”

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As a result of the positive cases, Melbourne High will forfeit their next two games planned against Cocoa High on Friday and Viera High on Oct. 16. The team will resume playing on Oct. 23.

After the initial case was reported, the Department of Health notified all staff and families of students who were in close contact with the person who tested positive and asked them to quarantine for 14 days. District officials said Thursday that the quarantine is still in effect and that the newly reported case did not require additional quarantine notifications.

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BPS officials said earlier this week that areas where the football team congregated will undergo deep cleaning and sanitizing.

All student-athletes on the team are shifting to e-learning while they are in quarantine.

According to the BPS COVID-19 dashboard, prior to Tuesday, Melbourne High had two people in quarantine. Districtwide there were 27 new cases reported as of Monday, the last time the dashboard was updated.