ELMHURST, Ill. — The Orangetheory Fitness studio in Elmhurst has confirmed 18 positive COVID-19 cases.
The studio on 135 N. Addison Ave. closed from Thursday to Sunday to investigate the outbreak and perform a deep cleaning of the gym. The outbreak is nearly half of all new cases in Elmhurst reported to the DuPage County Health Department since the beginning of September.
In a statement to WGN News, Orangetheory Fitness said:
We can confirm that we’ve experienced 18 positive cases recently at the Elmhurst studio. 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. 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. Out of an abundance of caution, we closed the Elmhurst studio between Thursday, Sept. 24 through the weekend in order to conduct additional deep-cleaning and initiate safety training procedures.
Over the past month, virus cases in Elmhurst have increased by 30%.
The DuPage County Health Department released the following statement to WGN News:
DuPage County Health Department has received multiple reports of COVID-19 cases from Orange Theory and community members since last week. In our communication with Orange Theory, we have provided public health guidance and resources, and we are conducting case and contact investigations to help determine if exposure may have occurred onsite as well as the extent of that exposure. We have also provided risk mitigation recommendations to prevent ongoing COVID-19 spread in the community. The best strategies for preventing COVID-19 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.
DuPage County Health Department
Before they are allowed into the studio, members of Orangetheory in Elmhurst have their temperature checked and have to answer standard COVID-19 questions.
The studio functions with has limited class sizes.
In Chicago, Orangetheory members are required to wear a mask when they enter the studio and during their workout. However, the rules are slightly different at the Elmhurst studio. Members are required to wear a mask when they enter and while transitioning between stations. However, a mask is not required while actually exercising at the station. Coaches wear masks the entire time.
