KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — As COVID-19 cases among school-age children continue to rise, all 10 schools under the Diocese of Knoxville will be under a mask mandate from September 7 to October 1. This includes Knoxville Catholic High School.

Jim Wogan with the Diocese says the mandate is meant to minimize the number of students quarantining. It is temporary and parents will have the option to opt-out.

As of Tuesday, there are 58 active positive cases, 55 students, and 3 faculty. In total, 144 students are in quarantine. This number is cited as the primary factor in the decision to implement a mask mandate. There are 3,379 students enrolled across 10 schools in the Diocese.