More than 80 COVID-19 cases linked to Illinois summer camp, officials say

Pritzker wearing mask indoors again as concerns over Delta variant grow

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker is wearing a mask again indoors as concerns over the Delta COVID-19 variant grow.

CHICAGO - More than 80 people tested positive for the coronavirus at a summer youth camp held in central Illinois in mid-June where masking was not required and vaccination status was not checked, officials said Monday.

The majority of 85 cases were among teenagers, one of which was unvaccinated and required hospitalization, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. Some cases involved adult staff members.

"Although all campers and staff were eligible for vaccination, IDPH is aware of only a handful of campers and staff receiving the vaccine," the IDPH said. "The camp was not checking vaccination status and masking was not required while indoors. IDPH is reminding people about the importance of vaccination, including youth, as the Delta variant and other variants continue to spread."

DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 NEWS APP FOR BREAKING ALERTS

Eleven other individuals also tested positive after a couple individuals who were at the camp attended a nearby conference, IDPH said. At least 70% of those cases occurred in unvaccinated people.

The cases were all concentrated in the Schuyler and Adams counties, officials said.

Study shows lasting protection from Pfizer, Moderna vaccines

Dr. Richard Novak from the University of Illinois at Chicago talks about the latest study results that suggest the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are effective for years after being administered.

IDPH director Dr. Ngozi Eziki emphasized that while risk to children may seem small, "even a mild case" can result in long-term health issues.

"Additionally, infected youth who may not experience severe illness can still spread the virus to others, including those who are too young to be vaccinated or those who don’t build the strong expected immune response to the vaccine," Dr. Ezike said.

The Centers for Disease and Prevention (CDC) issued guidance regarding summer camp that includes recommended vaccines for everyone 12 and older. It also states that camps, where everyone is fully vaccinated prior to the start of the session, can return to full capacity without masking or social distancing, but those where some are not vaccinated should implement multiple prevention strategies.

SIGN UP FOR EMAIL UPDATES FROM FOX 32 NEWS

The IDPH is working with the CDC and has sent specimens for genomic sequencing.

Fox News contributed to this report.

Coronavirus Illinois News