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18 COVID-19 cases tied to Elmhurst Orangetheory gym

The DuPage County Health Department is investigating COVID-19 cases linked to an Elmhurst fitness studio.

At least 18 positive cases are tied to the Orangetheory Fitness in downtown Elmhurst. The studio closed between Thursday through the weekend for additional deep-cleaning and to "initiate safety training procedures," an Orangetheory Fitness spokesperson said Tuesday.

"We can confirm that we've experienced 18 positive cases recently at the Elmhurst studio," the spokesperson said in a statement. "We are concerned about all involved and are hopeful that everyone will quickly return to health. We are working with local health authorities in the contact tracing process to identify any additional cases as soon as possible."

The county health department has received multiple reports of COVID-19 cases from Orangetheory and community members since last week.

"In our communication with Orangetheory, we have provided public health guidance and resources, and we are conducting case and contact investigations to help determine if exposure may have occurred on-site as well as the extent of that exposure," a department statement read.

Health officials have provided risk mitigation recommendations to prevent ongoing COVID-19 spread in the community, reiterating that the best strategies for preventing infection in youth and adults are to wear a mask in public places, stay at least 6 feet away from other people, frequently wash your hands and avoid crowds and confined or poorly ventilated spaces.

"We are constantly examining and evolving our internal policies and processes to ensure the safety of our staff and members, and are committed to ongoing vigilance in all of our studios," the Orangetheory spokesperson said.

Elmhurst has recorded 120 new COVID-19 cases in two weeks since Sept. 15. Over the course of the pandemic, at least 890 people in Elmhurst have tested positive and 47 have died, according to the health department.

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