At least 36 Lake Zurich High School students test positive for COVID-19, infections traced to three sports cam

At least 36 students at Lake Zurich High School have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to Lake County health officials, who say they have traced the infections to three summer athletic camps and “recent social gatherings.”

The county said Wednesday there had been health screenings at the camps, which opened July 6, and several students had been turned away because of COVID-19 symptoms.

“Other students began experiencing symptoms during the day and were sent home,” the county health department said on its Facebook page. “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.”

The next day, the health department said it met with officials from School District 95 and decided to close the camps while following up on the testing.

“In the past week, 36 Lake Zurich High School students have tested positive for COVID-19,” it said. “And all participants of Lake Zurich High School athletic camps are being instructed to self-quarantine for 14 days from their last possible exposure.”

This past Sunday, the Illinois Department of Public Health contracted with a private company to run a mobile testing site at the high school. “Despite high demand for testing which resulted in long wait times, 355 individuals were tested throughout the day,” the county said.

The mobile testing site will next be available from 9 to 11 a.m. Sunday at Lake Zurich High School’s Performing Arts Center parking lot for high school students and staff. Testing for the public will be offered from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. but may close early once 500 tests have been completed.

“Testing is first come, first served, and long wait times are expected due to high demand for testing,” the county ca