A Wisconsin high school’s officials announced Monday that a student died from COVID-19, becoming the first teen in the state to die from the virus.
East High School Principal Brendan Kearney told students in an email that junior Isai Morocho died during Spring break, WMTV reported. Kearney said Morocho was “a caring friend and family member with a ready smile and great sense of humor,” according to WMTV.
“All of MMSD is heartbroken to learn of the passing of an East High School student due to Covid-19 related causes,” the school district said in a statement.
“Our community has lost a wonderful young person, and when a school family experiences a tragedy, especially the loss of a young life, it deeply impacts all of us. In the days ahead, MMSD will be focused on providing our students, families and staff the support needed in order to help them process this tremendous loss,” the statement continued.
A high school student is the first Wisconsin teenager to die from Covid-19, officials say.https://t.co/ogh3JIqRN6
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 30, 2020
Doctors diagnosed Morocho with COVID-19 after post-mortem tests, the family told NBC News. He originally tested negative and doctors assumed his symptoms were related to the stomach flu, according to NBC. (RELATED: Wisconsin Reports Highest Daily COVID-19 Death Count, 173 Dead In 7 Days)
Christy Vogt, health education coordinator for Public Health Madison & Dane County said Morocho will be the first teen to die from the virus when his death is officially recorded, according to NBC.
The school district’s campuses have been closed to in-person instruction since March, and the district says no other faculty, staff or students have died from the virus, NBC reported.
There have been 409,054 reported cases of COVID-19 in Wisconsin and 3,487 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Center.