![The Parma City School District (PCSD) is leading an effort to delay contact sports until spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. [Parma City School District]](https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims4/default/765ac27/2147483647/strip/true/crop/980x551+0+0/resize/840x472!/format/webp/quality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Flegacy%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F8%2F28%2Fparma%20sports.jpg)
Cuyahoga County Health Commissioner Terry Allan announced Friday the board of health is currently tracking at least 23 coronavirus cases in eight school districts.
The cases involve 19 students and four faculty members, and the county is trying to stop the cases from spreading.
"We're aware that schools and communities are connected, and transmission of the virus moves between these two settings,” Allan said.
He said the cases are related to school sports.
"We know that education and extracurricular activities are a very important part of children’s mental and physical health, and we appreciate the importance of resuming in-person activities when it is safe to do so,” he said.
Allan addressed the county’s risk level assessment, which is currently Level 2, or orange.
That’s a good thing, he said, although residents still need to follow prevention guidelines.
“We’ve seen counties move back and forth between red and orange in the weekly state public health advisory systems,” Allan said. “We have to continue to follow the playbook for prevention.”
Allan said more Cuyahoga County residents have been wearing masks, which is a factor in preventing the spread of COVID-19.
