MOKENA – At least eight schools countywide have reported COVID-19 outbreaks among classrooms since the beginning of this school year.
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), all but one have involved less than five cases at Beecher Junior High School, Mokena Elementary School, Caretta Scott King Elementary in University Park, Cherry Hill School in New Lenox, Nelson Ridge School in New Lenox, and Troy Middle School in Joliet.
Only Reed-Custer Elementary School in Braidwood has recorded more with a recorded 5-10 cases reporting. At least three of the schools countywide reported cases among both staff and students.
Outbreaks in every case have been reported as general classroom spread and not extracurricular-related.
Will County now holds the second most outbreaks among schools in Illinois since the beginning of the school year, trailing only Cook County which has reported 10 outbreaks in schools. There have now been school-related outbreaks in 28 of Illinois 102 counties so far this fall. Kankakee, Grundy, and Iroquois Counties have yet to report an outbreak in a school setting this year.
Last Friday, IDPH reported 30,319 new COVID-19 cases in Illinois, including 178 COVID-related deaths for the week.
