* Press release…
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported 13 counties in Illinois are considered to be at a warning level for novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). A county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that measure the amount of COVID-19 increase.
Thirteen counties are currently reported at a warning level – Cass, Coles, Grundy, Iroquois, Jackson, Monroe, Perry, Saline, St. Clair, Tazewell, Union, Williamson, Winnebago.
These counties saw cases or outbreaks associated with businesses, long-term care facilities, large social gatherings, and out of state travel. There have been several instances of multiple cases among family members in the same, large household. Students returning to universities and colleges are also driving the recent increase in cases in several communities. Many students are not wearing face coverings or social distancing and are gathering in large groups and at bars.
Several counties are taking swift action and implementing mitigation measures to help slow spread of the virus. Examples include working with university administrations for student education and contact tracing, working with county boards of health, and cancelling events and festivals.
IDPH uses numerous indicators when determining if a county is experiencing stable COVID-19 activity, or if there are warning signs of increased COVID-19 risk in the county.
• New cases per 100,000 people. If there are more than 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the county, this triggers a warning.
• Number of deaths. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly number of deaths increases more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Weekly test positivity. This metric indicates a warning when the 7-day test positivity rate rises above 8%.
• ICU availability. If there are fewer than 20% of intensive care units available in the region, this triggers a warning.
• Weekly emergency department visits. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly percent of COVID-19-like-illness emergency department visits increase by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Weekly hospital admissions. A warning is triggered when the weekly number of hospital admissions for COVID-19-like-illness increases by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Tests perform. This metric is used to provide context and indicate if more testing is needed in the county.
• Clusters. This metric looks at the percent of COVID-19 cases associated with clusters or outbreaks and is used to understand large increase in cases.
These metrics are intended to be used for local level awareness to help local leaders, businesses, local health departments, and the public make informed decisions about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do. The metrics are updated weekly, from the Sunday-Saturday of the prior week.
- Powdered Whig - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 12:49 pm:
So much for it being a “Chicago” issue.
- Chatham Resident - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 12:49 pm:
Sangamon’s off the list.
Not surprised about Tazewell after the barge party fiasco in East Peoria last weekend. But surprised Peoria County (and even Woodford) didn’t get put back on the list as a result.
- Nuke the Whales - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 12:49 pm:
In Yakov Smirnoff fashion, regionalization doesn’t protect you from Chicago, it protects Chicago from you.
- MSIX - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 12:50 pm:
Coles County goes Orange. And that’s before EIU opens up. The local school district just announced online only to start the semester. More than 25% of the total cases here are in the 20-29 age bracket.
It’s going to get worse.
- Touré's Latte - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 12:53 pm:
DuPage County appears to have survived the marcher hump. Lots of new young adult cases, no new deaths of note.
- Three Dimensional Checkers - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 1:16 pm:
I think these warnings are kind of stupid. The regionalization is the whole issue with the response. If there is an outbreak in Florida, it will make it to Chicago. It’s a virus. It doesn’t care about state or county boundaries. It will spread its poison until it is stopped.
- GregN - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 1:35 pm:
Looks like the warned counties could use some of that “marcher hump” goodness. I’d give odds that there are more masks being used among them than by residents.
- Tim - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 1:51 pm:
My money’s on those DuPage County cases coming from all the young adults walking around downtown Naperville without masks or social distancing. Protesters wore masks more than residents.
- Frumpy White Guy - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 2:12 pm:
They better not send these downstate delights to our Chicago area hospitals.
- ajjacksson - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 3:36 pm:
You can complain about Naperville and the almost 1 million residents of DuPage all you want. With or without masks, only 4 people under the age of 60 died of Covid 19 in DuPage County in July 2020. None of them was under 40.
I know deaths aren’t the only measure or issue. But still–if the citizens of Naperville have been “without masks” since they entered phase 4 on June 26, where’s the spike in deaths?
- Rich Miller - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 3:45 pm:
===where’s the spike in deaths?===
Is that you, Dennis Byrne?
- ajjacksson - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 4:00 pm:
Mc, Rich, I’m using the only metric I have access to. There are people on this blog that want to say that the virus is out of control. What I’m saying is, there’s a remotely small number of deaths associated with Covid in DuPage in July. The virus is not out of control. The medical community has a lot better idea of how to handle it then they did an April.
- Soccermom - Friday, Aug 7, 20 @ 4:31 pm:
AJJackson —
Deaths are a lagging indicator. If cases are up today, deaths will be up in a month or so. And, if you’ve been following this issue, you should know that deaths are only part of story. A very troubling number of people who are infected suffer permanent heart and lung damage. This thing is not trivial. Please take precautions to protect yourself, your family, and all the rest of us.