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Coronavirus

IDPH reports 14 COVID-19 outbreaks in Will County schools in last two weeks

Most outbreaks include single-digit numbers of cases, data show

Joliet Township High School 204,  Joliet West High School, education

Over the past two weeks, the Illinois Department of Public Health has reported more than a dozen outbreaks of COVID-19 cases at schools in Will County.

Since Dec. 5, 14 separate outbreaks were recorded in local schools, all of them numbering in the single digits.

• Brooks Middle School in Bolingbrook had an outbreak of fewer than five cases among students in the classroom reported on Dec. 7.

• Jonas Salk Elementary School in Bolingbrook had an outbreak of fewer than five cases among staff and students in the classroom reported on Dec. 7.

• Mokena Elementary School had an outbreak of fewer than five cases among students in the classroom reported on Dec. 7.

• Reed Custer High School in Braidwood had an outbreak of fewer than five cases among staff and students reported on Dec. 7. It’s the fourth outbreak reported at the school since Nov. 30.

• Lockport Township High School had an outbreak of six cases among staff and students in a sports activity reported on Dec. 10.

• Beecher Elementary School had an outbreak of fewer than five cases among staff and students in the classroom reported on Dec. 13.

• Joliet Central High School had an outbreak of six cases among staff and students in a sports activity reported on Dec. 13.

• Beverly Skoff Elementary School in Romeoville had an outbreak of six cases among staff and students in the classroom reported on Dec. 15.

• Kingsley Elementary School in Naperville had an outbreak of fewer than five cases among students in the classroom reported on Dec. 15.

• Holy Family School in Shorewood had two outbreaks, one of seven cases among staff and students in the classroom and another of fewer than five cases among staff and students in the classroom, both reported on Dec. 16.

• Joliet Central High School had an outbreak of fewer than five cases among students in the classroom reported on Dec. 16.

• Plainfield East High School had two outbreaks, one of five cases among students in a sports activity and another of six cases among students in a sports activity, both reported on Dec. 16.

Providers are offering COVID-19 vaccines for residents as young as 5 years old. For more information on providers and how to schedule a vaccine appointment, visit willcountyhealth.org.

Alex Ortiz

Alex Ortiz

Alex Ortiz is a reporter for The Herald-News in Joliet. Originally from Romeoville, Ill., he joined The Herald-News in 2017 and mostly covers Will County government, politics, education and more. He earned his bachelor's degree at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a master's degree from Northwestern University.