ORANGE COUNTY, Fla.  — Orange County schools have reported 18 additional cases of COVID-19 at 16 of its schools since Tuesday, according to a post on the district's Facebook page Friday evening.

In addition, the Department of Health has issued 174 quarantine letters for students or staff at 11 schools, Orange County Public Schools reported.

The district, keeping with its previous practices, did not specify how many of the positive cases were among students or how many were among teachers and staff members. OCPS makes public the number of new positive cases on Tuesdays and Fridays.

The new cases reported Friday were at the following schools, according to OCPS.

• Wetherbee Elementary
• SunRidge Middle
• Lake Silver Elementary
• Ocoee Middle
• Horizon West Middle
• Whispering Oak Elementary
• Rock Springs Elementary
• Wyndham Lakes Elementary
• Walker Middle
• Timber Lakes Elementary
• Olympia High
• Pine Hills Elementary
• Lake Whitney Elementary
• Southwest Middle
• Castleview Elementary

The additional quarantine letters reported Friday were sent to students or staff at the following schools:

• Orlo Vista Elementary
• Lake Silver Elementary
• Prairie Lake Elementary
• Frangus Elementary
• Sunset Park Elementary
• Lake Como K8
• Clay Springs Elementary
• Innovation Middle
• Horizon West Middle
• Wetherbee Elementary
• Olympia High

The latest announcements Friday brought the number of total positive cases reported in Orange County schools since in-person learning started this fall to 72 and the total number of quarantine letters sent to 373.

OCPS indicated that school principals contact the staffs and parents of students who could have been exposed in the school building after they receive notifications of positive cases and then the entire school receives a general notification.

The Department of Health – Orange County follows up with contract tracing and with quarantine notices, when necessary, OCPS indicated.