COVID-19 Testing and Investigation Continues in Lake Zurich
Lake County, Ill. — The Lake County Health Department continues to work closely with Lake Zurich School District 95 in response to multiple cases of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) identified last week among participants of high school athletic camps and recent social gatherings. In the past week, 36 Lake Zurich High School students have tested positive for COVID-19, and all participants of Lake Zurich High School athletic camps are being instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days from their last possible exposure.
“We are grateful to the leadership of Lake Zurich District 95 for assuring proper health screenings were done at their athletic camps last week, because those measures helped identify this cluster of COVID-19 cases,” said Dr. Sana Ahmed, Medical Epidemiologist at the Lake County Health Department. “We continue to urge anyone who has COVID-19 symptoms or who may have had direct contact with a confirmed case to get a viral COVID-19 test (also known as a polymerase chain reaction or PCR test) and self-quarantine for 14 days from their last potential date of exposure. We need your help to help prevent further spread of this virus.”
On Sunday, July 12, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) contracted with a private company to run a mobile testing site at Lake Zurich High School. Despite high demand for testing which resulted in long wait times, 355 individuals were tested throughout the day.
The mobile testing site will again be available on Sunday, July 19 at Lake Zurich High School’s Performing Arts Center parking lot (300 Church Street, Lake Zurich). Testing will be provided for Lake Zurich High School students and staff between 9-11 a.m., please bring a student or staff ID. Testing for the general public will be offered between 11 a.m.-5 p.m., and may close early once 500 tests have been completed. Testing is first come, first serve, and long wait times are expected due to high demand for testing. A medical professional administers the tests, and results are provided by phone in 4 to 7 days.
People who are currently experiencing COVID-19 symptoms should not wait to get tested. Contact your healthcare provider or call the Lake County Health Department’s Communicable Disease program at (847) 377-8130 for guidance.
On Monday, July 6, Lake Zurich High School held its first day of athletic camps. Multiple students were turned away during health screenings at the start of camp due to having symptoms of COVID-19. Other students began experiencing symptoms during the day and were sent home. The school district was notified that evening that multiple students who attended camps across multiple sports later developed symptoms and received positive test results for COVID-19 later that afternoon.
On Tuesday, July 7, the Lake County Health Department and IDPH met with school district officials and determined that all Lake Zurich High School athletic camps should be closed until further notice. Case investigations and contact tracing related to the student cases continue, and through these investigations, the Lake County Health Department has identified multiple social gatherings prior to the athletic camps where exposures may have occurred.
At this time, all participants of Lake Zurich High School athletic camps are being instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days from their last possible exposure. A negative test result does not shorten this quarantine period since the virus can take up to 14 days to be detected by a test.
COVID-19 cases and deaths in Lake County had previously slowed in recent weeks, a trend that public health officials attribute to residents following social distancing and masking guidelines, paired with widespread availability of testing and thorough contact tracing. However, new cases continue to be identified in communities across the county, and an increase in social gatherings could result in cases climbing again.
“Our lives are very interconnected and this virus spreads very easily from person to person,” said Dr. Ahmed. “Even if you personally aren’t at a high risk of severe illness, you need to consider that every person you interact with may have someone close to them who is vulnerable. Please, do your part to protect your health and also look out for others. Take the risks seriously so your actions don’t result in someone else’s hospitalization or death.”
Additional Information on the Lake Zurich Mobile Testing Site
Upcoming testing date: Sunday July 19
9-11 a.m. Lake Zurich High School students and staff (please bring school I.D.)
11 a.m.-5 p.m. General public (may close early if 500 tests are completed)
Location:
Lake Zurich High School’s Performing Arts Center parking lot (300 Church Street, Lake Zurich).
Testing is free and open to all regardless of symptoms. Testing is first come, first serve, and long wait times are expected due to high demand for testing. A medical professional administers the tests, and results are provided by phone in 4 to 7 days. A phone number and name are required in order to receive testing results. Photo identification and proof of insurance are helpful, but not required.
Those utilizing drive-thru testing must be seated at a functioning window. Once you get in line at the site, you will not be permitted to exit your car. The site will also accommodate walk-up individuals.
Types of Testing
Viral (PCR) testing is used to detect active COVID-19 infections. Antibody (serology) testing does NOT detect active COVID-19 infections, so it is not an appropriate test for someone who is currently in quarantine for potential COVID-19 exposure. Any person who has been potentially exposed and has tested negative with an antibody OR antigen test should consider getting a PCR test to determine if they have an active infection of COVID-19. If you are told to quarantine for 14 days due to a potential exposure, a negative COVID-19 test result does not shorten your quarantine period. The virus can take up to 14 days to be detectable in the body by a test, so it is important to continue the quarantine period through 14 days while monitoring for symptoms.
Other Testing Options
State-run Community-Based Testing Sites, located in Waukegan (102 W. Water St.) and Rolling Meadows (2901 Central Rd.), are open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. Testing at these sites are free.
Many healthcare providers in Lake County also have COVID-19 testing available. Please contact your provider or the facility to ask about testing criteria and appointment availability. Anyone without a healthcare provider or insurance can contact the Lake County Health Department and Community Health Center for an appointment at (847) 377-8800.
For more information, visit the IDPH website at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/covid-19-testing-sites.
Additional Information:
The Lake County Health Department reported Lake County’s first COVID-19 case on March 11, 2020. As of July 13, 2020, 10,422 Lake County residents have tested positive for the disease, including 408 deaths. For more details, please visit the Coronavirus Data Hub, which is updated daily Mondays through Fridays at https://www.lakecountyil.gov/COVID19data.
Visit the Health Department’s Coronavirus web page, www.lakecountyil.gov/coronavirus, for updates, testing information, community guidance and resources, answers to frequently asked questions, and to sign up for the Health Department’s weekly COVID-19 newsletter. General questions can be sent via email to covid19@lakecountyil.gov.
For trusted information on the COVID-19 pandemic from reputable state and federal sources, visit the State of Illinois, Illinois Department of Public Health, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) websites.
# # #
| 
