COVID-19 outbreak hits Bishop Shanahan High School cheerleading squad

DOWNINGTOWN, Pennsylvania (WPVI) -- Coronavirus is spreading among high school athletes who went to a sports camp together this summer.

Contact tracers are hard at work in Chester County, trying to alert everyone who may have been exposed.

Through contact tracing the county dept of health believe several Bishop Shanahan High School cheerleaders were infected during a camp held at the school.

In all, eight camp participants were infected, including four from Bishop Shanahan.

A field hockey player in contact with a cheerleader is also infected.

In addition, 60 people are at risk of exposure after attending a local gymnastics facility.

Shanahan officials released a letter to parents stating, in part: "School administrators contacted the cheerleading families and coaches asking them to self-quarantine (14 days) and if symptoms developed to be tested."

"The school has done exactly what we recommended to them. They have discontinued the camp, the girls involved have been isolated if they are a case and quarantined if they are a close contact. Their families are taking same action," said Chester County Public Health Director Jeanne Casner.

The archdiocese made the decision to suspend the fall sports season, but that's just for competition. Practice and camps are still allowed with safety precautions in place and they can halt that at any time.

But experts are closely watching how practices play out. This, as many students and parents are pushing for canceled high school sports seasons to resume.