Homeless youth shelter in Colorado Springs reports COVID-19 outbreak

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Place, a homeless youth shelter in Colorado Springs, announced on Friday that it is experiencing an outbreak.

Two young people have tested positive for coronavirus and several more youth are showing symptoms. The people who have tested positive or are showing symptoms have been moved off-site to safe alternatives. The majority have gone to the city's isolation shelter downtown, according to a spokesperson.

The Place is working with the El Paso County Department of Public Health to contain the outbreak. The shelter says it has been doing rapid testing since Jan. 4 to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Staff are also doing deep cleans of the shelter and wearing masks while social distancing.

“Our priority is to keep youth who seek our help safe and healthy, helping them move on from homelessness,” said Shawna Kemppainen, the executive director of The Place. “This pandemic reveals again that homelessness is a health crisis every day. The nearly 200 young people we know on the streets of our community have no home in which to isolate. Our work is full speed ahead, including shelter services.”