Collierville High School Principal Roger Jones informed families over the weekend 318 students and staff members have been identified as close contacts after eight people tested positive for COVID-19.

Jones sent an email to families around 10 p.m. Saturday night to clarify any confusion families may have. Close contacts are asked to quarantine.

Jones said Shelby County Health Department determined the outbreak at the high school to be a “cluster” after three new cases were reported Friday afternoon. That was in addition to two varsity football-related cases that were reported earlier in the week. Of the first five cases reported, four were associated with the football team.

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Any child who shared a class with an individual was considered a “close contact” due to the designated cluster status, Jones clarified. Close contacts were called on Friday. At that time it totaled 192 people.

Parents are not required to report if their child has coronavirus. Instead, the district relies on families to self-report.

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Jones was made aware of three more cases Saturday, and he said those cases are associated with the first five cases. Emails were sent to every parent who had a child that needed to quarantine as it is the weekend and there was not enough “manpower to call parents.” Staff who may have been affected were also contacted.

An additional 126 people were identified as close contacts Saturday bringing the total number of those asked to quarantine to 318.

Each newly reported case requires new communication. Some students who were contacted Friday may have been told they needed to quarantine but additional communication Saturday may not have identified them as a close contact. Jones said if anyone received a letter about quarantine, they must do so for 14 days.