PITTSBURGH -- A North Hills High School varsity boys basketball player has tested positive for COVID-19, one of eight new cases announced by the district on Saturday, Dec. 5.
The student-athlete received the positive result on Saturday morning, Dec. 5, after symptoms developed Friday evening following afternoon practice.
The entire basketball team has been notified and given further instructions in accordance with guidance from the Allegheny County Health Department.
Varsity boys and girls basketball are the only basketball teams currently practicing and players are masked at all times, as they were during Friday’s practice.
The varsity boys basketball program has been shut down for two weeks effective Dec. 5. The boys’ basketball team’s first game, a scrimmage scheduled for Saturday morning, was canceled. No other winter sports teams are impacted.
PIAA made the decision last month to proceed with winter sports. In accordance with their decision, we are allowing student-athletes to practice for the opportunity to compete with other schools in our section. The majority of schools in our section are proceeding with varsity winter sports.
In addition to this case, seven additional cases were announced:
- 3 Highcliff Elementary School students (All 3 presumptive positive)
- 2 North Hills Middle School students (1 presumptive positive)
- 1 North Hills High School student
- 1 North Hills High School teacher
In all of the above student cases, symptoms began last month and as such, their cases were added to the COVID-19 tracker with dates of Nov. 18, Nov. 22, Nov. 23 and Nov. 26.
The teacher and boys’ basketball player were added with yesterday’s date, Dec. 4.
Moving forward, we will add cases to the tracker when symptoms begin versus when the district was notified of the case or the positive result was received to more accurately track active case counts in line with state guidance.
If the student or staff member is asymptomatic, we will add the positive case to the tracker on that person’s test date.