The superintendent of Dade County Schools announced Sunday that 71 people with the school district are in quarantine after 14 people tested positive in the past week and a half.
The 14 people who have tested positive include five students and nine employees.
Harris said 71 people have been quarantined due to the 14 cases.
Last week, Harris told the Times Free Press the volleyball team at Dade Middle School and the cheerleaders at Dade County High School had all been quarantined after a student on each team tested positive for COVID-19 this week.
Harris said the test results came back before the first day of school, which was Thursday. The two students who tested positive include an eighth grader at Dade Middle and a sophomore at Dade County High.
Staff Photo by Robin Rudd / Dade County Schools staff and volunteers load a bus at Dade Elementary.Harris sent a notification to parents Friday saying two more high school students - one on the volleyball team and another cheerleader - had tested positive.
All other fall sports in the district have continued on as usual, albeit with strict health guidelines put in place with recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the state's public health department.
If a student or staff member tests positive in Dade County Schools, the district requires them to quarantine at home for a minimum of 10 days and they then must experience 24 hours without symptoms.
Masks in schools are not specifically required, but they are required on school buses and in hallways during class changes.
However, if students refuse to wear a mask, they will be released from class when the hallway clears out. Teachers will wear a mask or face shield when working directly with students and other staff members.
Contact Patrick Filbin at pfilbin@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6476. Follow him on Twitter @PatrickFilbin.