Coronavirus Cluster In Chathams Grows

CHATHAM, NJ—A cluster of coronavirus cases linked to a party in the borough has now grown to at least a dozen. Chatham High School had already switched to remote learning last week, when an initial positive case was identified.

"We are in the midst of a new and likely still growing cluster of covid-19 cases stemming from a party that was unwisely held on September 6," said Chatham Borough Mayor Thaddeus Kobylarz at Monday's Borough Council meeting.

Megan Avellone, director of the Westfield Regional Health Department, which serves Chatham, said contact tracing is underway.

Avellone said anyone within close contact of the positive people, such as household members, would be asked to quarantine. Those that test positive will isolate for 10 days and then quarantine for 14 days.

"We have confirmation of at least 12," she said Monday, "but sometimes our confirmatory reports come in a little behind when parents report them so you might hear slightly higher numbers, like 16."

Avellone said parents in the district have been cooperative and there have not been issues with reaching them, and efforts to trace people who attended the party have been successful.

"We have not had a scenario where we haven't been able to connect directly with a parent related to this incident," she said. Avellone added that siblings of students who test positive would be directed to quarantine for 14 days beginning from the last date of exposure before being allowed back in school.

"I'm confident to allow kids back into school once they complete quarantine," said Avellone. She added that no other school in the borough has reported a positive case and that this spike was isolated to the high school.

During Monday's council meeting, Chatham Borough Police Chief Brian Gibbons said the incident is still being investigated. The chief stressed that parents had a responsibility to monitor what happens in their homes.

"I do think there could be attached criminal or civil liability, he said. "If you weren't part of this, heed the warning, if you were, cooperate."