155 Students Enter Coronavirus Quarantine At Hersey High School

ARLINGTON HEIGHTS, IL — Stressing that the school is not in the midst of a coronavirus outbreak, officials at John Hersey High School said Tuesday 13 students have tested positive for COVID-19 and 155 are in a required quarantine as a result.

"We have confirmed with the Cook County Department of Public Health that this is not an outbreak scenario," Dave Beery, interim communications supervisor for Township High School District 214, told Patch in response to it being reported as such by other news outlets. "An outbreak occurs when five or more cases are epidemiologically linked."

Beery said there are currently 1,943 students at the high school. Quarantine is required when someone has had close contact with an individual that has been infected, according to the CCDPH. District 214 brought students back for in-person instruction on April 5.

"Close contact means anyone who has been within 6 feet, with or without a mask, for a cumulative 15 or more minutes over a 48-hour period," Beery said. "Based on our conversations with infected students, it appears that transmission is occurring outside of school."

RELATED: District 214 Will Return To Full In-Person Learning On April 5

Stay Patched In!

• Get Patch real-time email alerts for the latest Arlington Heights news
• Check out the Events Calendar for what's going on in Arlington Heights
• Like our Crime page on Facebook
• Patch Mobile: Get app for iPhone and Android