A New Jersey high school canceled its in-person graduation ceremony just two days before it was set to be held after a senior student tested positive for COVID-19, officials say. They're concerned the student may have infected others.
In a statement posted to its website Tuesday, the Red Bank Regional High School District said it learned early this week about the student's positive test and that the student "potentially had exposure to a number of classmates."
It made the decision to cancel the graduation, which was scheduled for Thursday, after consulting with the Monmouth County Regional Health Commission and local authorities. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy OK'd the return of socially distant outdoor graduations in the state earlier this month.
"Although disappointing, we must continue to prioritize the health and safety of our students and staff," the school district said in a statement.
Monmouth County had more than 9,600 confirmed virus cases as of Wednesday and nearly 750 confirmed deaths, according to the state health website. It falls roughly in the middle of New Jersey counties in terms of COVID impact. Statewide, New Jersey now reports almost 176,000 confirmed COVID cases and more than 15,500 deaths, including 1,947 probable COVID fatalities.