Coronavirus Cases At 2 Juvenile Detention Centers In St. Charles

ST. CHARLES, IL — Coronavirus cases at the Illinois Youth Center have doubled in less than two weeks, and officials are now reporting multiple cases at the Kane County Juvenile Justice Center just a few minutes away.

Officials from the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice last month announced 19 cases, including 16 staff and three minors. As of Monday, there are 40 cases at the juvenile detention facility, including 13 minors being held there, according to officials.

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After the initial outbreak, all staff and minors at the facility were tested for the coronavirus. Minors who were directly exposed to the virus were placed in isolation units while awaiting test results, and all visits were suspended indefinitely, officials said.

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The Kane County Juvenile Justice Center was scheduled to be deep-cleaned Tuesday after a staff member and one minor being held there tested positive for the coronavirus, Kane County Court Administrator Doug Naughton said in a new release. Six other minors were quarantined and nine staff members were ordered to get tested and self-isolate until they learned the results, Naughton said.

A team from the Illinois Department of Public Health is set to perform testing Wednesday for all minors, staff members and contract workers, with results expected in two to four days, the court administrator said. About 30 minors are detained at the facility, which employs about 75 people.

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Public health officials have also recommended putting the facility on a temporary lockdown to reduce any potential exposure to the virus while tests are being processed. During the lockdown, minors would only be transported to another location for medical emergencies, Naughton said.

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