INDIANAPOLIS — The number of Hoosiers testing positive for COVID-19 isn't slowing down.
"This is our story right now and if we want to change the narrative, we all have to do our part," said Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box.
As more cases pop up in schools, health leaders are working to create a public dashboard for schools to help with contact tracing.
"Having access to the most up-to-date roster for each school is critical to our ability to inform a school of a positive COVID case in a student. Currently, we have about 10 percent of the new data that has been submitted to the Department of Education," said Box.
In Delaware County, more than 200 students were sent home this week to quarantine, forcing the middle and high school into e-learning through Aug. 24.
Superintendent Reece Mann said students either came in contact with a positive case or showed symptoms. In a statement to 13News, Mann said the quarantines may be unrelated to the high school football player who tested positive Friday.
"There are many people throughout our county dealing with COVID-19 and, therefore, some of our students have had exposure to COVID-19 outside of school," said Mann.
A total of 228 students are in quarantine. That includes 153 from Delta High School, 68 from Delta Middle School, six from Eaton Elementary and one from Royerton Elementary.
Mann said his district already has a dashboard in place to help staff with contact tracing. State leaders say it will take a group effort to keep our students safe.
"If we want to get our kids back in the classroom, we cannot behave as if things are normal," said Box.