DuPage health officials: No COVID-19 cases linked to restaurant

After saying Monday they were investigating, DuPage County Health Department officials hours later said they weren't aware of any COVID-19 cases associated with a downtown Naperville restaurant.

"At this time, we are not aware of any COVID-19 case activity associated with Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House in Naperville," a department spokeswoman said in a statement Monday evening.

The statement came hours after the spokeswoman confirmed an investigation.

"At this time, we are aware of case activity, though we are unable to confirm any specific numbers of cases associated with Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House in Naperville as our investigation is ongoing," the spokeswoman said via email Monday morning.

A message left with the restaurant's general manager was not immediately returned Monday. But a spokesperson for the Gibsons Restaurant Group, which includes Hugo's, released a statement.

"Over the past 10 months, we have had a small number of employees at our Hugo's Frog Bar & Fish House Naperville location inform us that they have tested positive for COVID-19," the statement read. "These have been separate, isolated incidents, and none of the cases have been determined to have originated at the restaurant."

The Gibsons statement said restaurants adhere to "increased standards" in air quality, safety, and sanitation, including contactless or one-time-use menus, a strict mask policy, regular hard surface sanitation, vigilant hand washing and the use of plexiglass dividers.

"We take the safety and well-being of our staff and customers very seriously," the statement read. "All restaurants follow CDC recommendations along with state, city and company guidelines in completing sanitation procedures, recording employee temperatures and using all required PPE."