3rd COVID-19 Outbreak Reported At Mokena D159: Officials

MOKENA, IL — Mokena Elementary School was listed as a source of a COVID-19 outbreak, according to the latest data posted Friday on the Illinois Department of Public Health's website. This is the third time a Mokena School District 159 school has been placed on the outbreak list since classes started Aug. 18.

Mokena D159 Superintendent Mark Cohen was not immediately available for comment.

According to emails provided to Patch by a source with knowledge of the outbreak, the school's Principal, Rachel Chorley, notified parents Monday that a second-grade teacher at the school had tested positive for the coronavirus and would be under quarantine until Oct. 7. In a later email, also sent Monday, Chorley notified parents that five students in the class had also tested positive for the virus, resulting in a quarantine for the entire class, per Will County Department of Health guidance.

The Illinois Department of Public Health defines an outbreak as two or more COVID-19 cases among people from different households who may have had a shared exposure, such as at school.

The first COVID-19 outbreak at MES was reported Aug. 27. That outbreak resulted in a first-grade class there being placed under quarantine.

As of Sept. 27, the District had reported 53 total positive COVID-19 cases for students, and 29 students were reported as under quarantine across the District's three schools: Mokena Elementary School, Mokena Intermediate School and Mokena Junior High School.

The District updates its COVID-19 data weekly. IDPH data for schools is updated weekly on Fridays.

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