11 COVID Cases Linked To Teen Night Clubs In Beach Haven

BEACH HAVEN, NJ — The Long Beach Island Health Department is investigating an active cluster of COVID-19 cases among teenagers who attended “Teen Nights” at clubs in Beach Haven.

The LBIHD said 11 confirmed cases have been reported by teenagers who attended teen night clubs.

“We received communication from our local urgent care clinicians over this past weekend citing a significant uptick in testing and positive outcome of teenagers that referenced attending teen nights the week prior. We also received several calls of parents of teenagers testing positive all having recent local teen night club attendance,” the LBIHD said in a statement.

The LBIHD received the first report of a positive COVID-19 case on July 19, which cited teen night attendance in Beach Haven on July 11 and July 13. LBIHD was notified again on July 26 of another positive teenager who attended a teen night on July 18.

The health department was notified a third time on Aug. 2 of two laboratory-confirmed positive teenagers that attended teen night on July 25 and one positive teenager that attended a teen night on July 27.

As of late Tuesday, the LBIHD reported 11 positive cases among teenagers who have attended teen nights in the Beach Haven area.

The state health department has been notified of the community cluster, according to the LBIHD.

“It can be challenging to identify the full scope of this cluster due to under reporting, cases can be dispersed over the state and region during the height of the summer season. However, we will be actively associating any reported cases to our jurisdiction that share this common element,” the LBIHD said.

The LBIHD is urging anyone who has attended these venues within the last 14 days and are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms to get tested for COVID-19. The recommended time to seek testing is no sooner than five days after exposure to ensure if transmission and infection from the virus occurred it will be captured.

The health department advises people to get tested regardless of whether they have received the COVID-19 vaccine.

Keep up to date with what's happening in your community by subscribing to your local Patch newsletter here.