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IDPH: Adams, LaSalle, Peoria and Randolph counties at “warning level”

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Illinois

* Press release…

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today reported four 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.

Four counties are currently reported at a warning level – Adams, LaSalle, Peoria, and Randolph.

These counties saw outbreaks associated with business and risky behavior, including:

Adams County: larger social events, health care exposure, travel to hotspots including those in neighboring Missouri and Iowa, places of worship, and youth sports.

LaSalle County: large family and social gatherings, increase in cases among people younger than 29 years, younger people visiting bars and attending larger social events, and inconsistencies with masking requirements.

Peoria County: increases in cases among people younger than 29 years, large gatherings including 4th of July parties, and people traveling to Florida, Iowa, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Randolph County: congregate settings, numerous bars not complying with distancing and masking, a large party with more than 200 people, and among households.

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 50 or more new cases per 100,000 people in the county, this triggers a warning.
• Number of deaths. This metric indicates a warning when the 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.

A map and information of each county’s status can be found on the IDPH website at https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics.

Remember not long ago when Peoria wanted to accelerate its reopening? Good times.

posted by Rich Miller
Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 2:06 pm

Comments

Interesting that IDPH doesn’t mention that large IDOC institution in Randolph County with an outbreak. It’s so much easier to blame individuals than the state to take responsibility for its operations.

Still, try to avoid parties of 200. That shouldn’t be that hard.

Comment by Downstate Illinois Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 2:13 pm
==LaSalle County: large family and social gatherings, increase in cases among people younger than 29 years, younger people visiting bars and attending larger social events, and inconsistencies with masking requirements.==

Here, and in LaSalle-Peru, families are especially tight. Young people, as has always been true, have a sense of invincibility.

As far as masks go, I was at Walmart yesterday, and although they have a mask requirement to get into the store, I saw several people who took their mask off as soon as they got inside.

How are you gonna beat this virus with that mentality?

Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 2:13 pm
The lesson seems to be that if you’re doing nothing to prevent the spread of the virus that it’s only a matter of time before the virus reminds you who is in charge. And even if the virus doesn’t come to you, as Peoria shows, there are plenty of people that are more than happy to go to it.

Comment by Pundent Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 2:14 pm
Is Peoria County including all the recent cases from the County Jail among inmates and staff? If so that would explain quite a bit. Plus as the shooting(13 shot) showed last Sunday morning many in the community not observing mask and social distancing.

Comment by Arock Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 2:22 pm
Streator Curmudgeon,

What is with that (taking masks off after getting in)? I have heard this occurs in some Costcos too, to the point where they have to have stockers and managers act as mask minders from time to time.

I mean, if you already have your mask, is it that hard to just keep it on?

And grocery shopping back home (in Coles County) is weird in that you are not just grabbing what you need and going. Should you encounter someone you know (high probability) you will stop and gab.

I have grown very accustomed to my close in suburb experience of grab what you need and go if you see someone you know just say hi so you and they can complete the task at hand.

Comment by cermak_rd Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 2:33 pm
===IDPH doesn’t mention that large IDOC institution in Randolph County with an outbreak===

I would assume that when they highlighted congregant settings they were referring to CMHC (Chester Mental Health Center) - which is actually a DHS facility, vs IDOC. Menard - which is an IDOC facility is still only showing 6 staff and 2 inmates with zero recoveries on the IDOC website.

DHS currently shows a total of 44 staff / 4 recovered, and 7 patients/1 recovered at CMHC.

As was the case with the Gilster outbreak, not all of the cases listed for Menard or CMHC are Randolph County residents, consequently those numbers would not be reflected in Randolph County stats.

There have been no DHS reported increases at CMHC since 7/20.

Comment by DownSouth Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 2:36 pm
Odd coincidence, I also failed to see a reference in the news release to the outbreak at the Chester Mental Health Center affecting the Randolph County numbers. Most of those infected employees are Randolph County residents according to the County Health Department. So the observation/perception among local residents is that in recent days is that the Governor is alarmed by these numbers and threatens to walk back openings in Randolph County, when a significant percentage of the County infections stem from STATE employees at a STATE facility failing to abide by mask and social distancing protocols with fellow employees. Another reason the anti-Pritzker signs are appearing in yards and now businesses.

Comment by Motambe Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 3:37 pm
===when a significant percentage of the County infections stem from STATE employees at a STATE facility failing to abide by mask and social distancing protocols with fellow employees===

They had to get it somewhere. And that somewhere is likely in the community. The virus doesn’t just appear outta nowhere, bub.

Comment by Rich Miller Friday, Jul 24, 20 @ 3:55 pm
Rich regarding “they had to get it somewhere.”—— you are right as rain. An employee or employees, or vendors brought it in to the CMHC facility. Folks are angry that employee behavior contributed to the spread and it may be one of the factors that will cause the governor to initiate closure of services, restaurants and bars. The CMHC infection is more easily tracked and thus more easily held accountable. And sadly, some of the bars are a serious problem.

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