Farragut High School football player tests positive for COVID-19

Aaron Torres
Knoxville News Sentinel

A Farragut High School football player has tested positive for COVID-19, coach Eddie Courtney told Knox News on Thursday. 

Courtney said the player was at a football team orientation at the school on Friday and tested positive over the weekend. The player did not have any symptoms and is on a 14-day quarantine away from the team, Courtney said.

Courtney said the player got tested because one of his friends tested positive for COVID-19.

TSSAA executive director Bernard Childress said the football player is the first high school athlete in the state to test positive for COVID-19 that he's aware of. He added that schools are not required to inform the TSSAA if an athlete tests positive. 

Courtney said nine other players and two assistant coaches also are on a 14-day quarantine. They came in contact with the player on Friday when Farragut went over what summer workouts would look like while following the health guidelines from Knox County Schools. 

Courtney said no one else has tested positive or exhibited symptoms of COVID-19. 

Farragut initially was going to start summer workouts Monday, but after the coaches learned the player tested positive, the school spent Monday and Tuesday further sanitizing and cleaning the athletic facilities. They started workouts on Wednesday.

Farragut principal John Bartlett sent an email to parents of football team members Monday informing them of the situation. 

“We don’t have anything else to add,” Knox County Schools spokesperson Carly Harrington said. 

Knox County has had 452 confirmed COVID-19 cases as of Thursday, up from 441 Wednesday.

Active cases in the county were 112, up from 101 on Wednesday. The number of deaths remains at five. 

Farragut has been following the health guidelines Knox County Schools sent its schools. 

Courtney said players have their temperature taken before workouts and are asked if they’ve been in close contact with an individual with a confirmed case of COVID-19 and if they are experiencing any symptoms. Players are also social distancing and wearing masks in any indoor facility. 

Courtney said he did not come in direct contact with the player and has not exhibited any symptoms. 

Knox County Schools were allowed to start having summer workouts May 26 after a hiatus of more than two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Knox County Health Department said it does not comment on individual cases or clusters because of privacy concerns unless there is a public health reason to do so. That policy precludes commenting on cases where all potentially exposed people have been identified and contacted.

The health department also said it is not changing its recommendations about athletics.

"As we have stated, increased case counts are expected as our community continues to reopen," said a statement emailed to Knox News. "We continue to recommend that schools follow all the guidance provided by state and federal health officials, as well as the 'Five Core Actions' outlined in our plan to decrease the rate of transmission."

The five core actions are:

  • Physical distancing
  • Wearing cloth face coverings
  • Proper handwashing
  • Cleaning surfaces
  • Staying home if sick or if you're instructed to isolate or quarantine by a medical or public health professional