Durham Public Schools halt athletics due to COVID-19
Athletics at Durham County’s public high schools are suspended due to the coronavirus pandemic, the district’s superintendent announced Friday morning.
In a statement posted on the Durham Public Schools’ website, superintendent Pascal Mubenga said the time isn’t right for athletics to return.
“High school athletics has important benefits in boosting student engagement and fostering a strong school community,” Mubenga said. “However, this is not the right time for interscholastic competition. We will continue to monitor trends and consult with public health officials, and will revisit this decision when conditions improve.”
Mubenga said the move is being made out for public health and safety concerns. He said it came out of consultation with the district athletic directors and high school principals
In Durham County, as in other parts of North Carolina, coronavirus cases are on the rise. For the entire pandemics, the county has reported 4,911 coronavirus cases and 71 deaths, according to Friday’s state health department data. The county’s percent of coronavirus tests coming back positive is 10%, according to the state’s Department of Health and Human Services.
This story was originally published July 17, 2020 at 12:11 PM with the headline "Durham Public Schools halt athletics due to COVID-19."