School district reports first teenage death in Wisconsin linked to COVID-19



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A school district in Wisconsin reported that the first teenage death from COVID-19 in the state occurred during the Thanksgiving vacation.

Madison East High School Principal Brendan Kearney emailed students and families to let them know about this young Isai Morocho “unexpectedly during Thanksgiving break after brief illness related to COVID” , the The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported on Monday.

Kearney described Morocho as a “caring friend and family member with a ready smile and a great sense of humor”. Morocho, considered the first person under the age of 20 to die in Wisconsin after contracting the coronavirus, was also an excellent student who loved the theater and was looking to become a chef, the director said.

“We also want to recognize this tragic loss of human life as a reminder of the threat the COVID-19 pandemic poses to all members of our community, young and old,” Kearney said, according to the newspaper. “Receiving news like this at a time when we are unable to come together and meet in person is particularly difficult and we all have our own ways of dealing with loss.”

The Madison Metropolitan School District released a statement about Morocho’s death obtained by The Associated Press, saying it’s “heartbroken”.

“Our community has lost a wonderful youngster, and when a school family experiences tragedy, especially the loss of a young life, it affects us all deeply,” the statement read.

The high school offers support groups on Zoom Monday and Tuesday, according to the Journal Sentinel.

Morocho’s family members launched a GoFundMe to help pay for his funeral. As of Monday afternoon, he raised over $ 15,000 of a goal of $ 20,000.

“Isai had the most caring and horny attitude about life that made everyone around him excited to see what he was going to do with it,” GoFundMe read. “He was known for his empathy, humor and more.”

The Wisconsin ‘Department of Health Services COVID-19 Dashboard currently does not list any confirmed deaths under the age of 20, although the death of a child under the age of 10 is considered “likely” caused by COVID-19.

Overall, Wisconsin has documented 3,313 deaths from COVID-19 and 387,235 confirmed infections.



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