First COVID-19 Death In Washington County Reported

Washington County is reporting the first COVID-19 death, the health department confirmed.

“It is with a heavy heart that we must report our first COVID-related death in a county resident, a male in his 80s,” Administrator Elizabeth Lehde said in a release.

The department also announced two new lab-confirmed cases: a female in her 20s with mild symptoms from community spread, and a male in his late tens with resolved symptoms, also contracted through family spread.

There were also 4 cases that have been released from isolation and are able to resume normal activities. 

Isolation and quarantine orders are given through the interview process and can vary in length based on when symptoms started, when a person was tested, and when the health department is notified of the positive result.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) first announced the death during its daily briefing on Thursday, August 13, where 1,834 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 24 additional confirmed death. One of those listed was a male in his 80s from Washington County.

The county overall has reported 70 total positives, including an additional five this week. Cases have been steadily increasing over the last seven weeks. In June, Washington County had the lowest total reported cases in the area at 20.

Case count:  70

• Active: 4
• Released from isolation: 66
• Total hospitalized: 4
• Deaths:1

Negatives:1440

More Information From The Health Department

The health department said: “We are noticing an increase in community transmission, including social gatherings where safety practices are not followed.  Follow safety precautions of social distancing, hand hygiene, wear a mask in public, stay away from large gatherings and groups that do not have safety precautions in place.  It is the responsibility of our residents and businesses to keep our communities safe. “

Definitions:

• Active case: Lab-confirmed case that is on isolation. 
• Isolation: A person is to stay home and have NO contact with anyone (including anyone in the household), except if in need of medical care or attention.  Responders are to wear personal protective equipment.  Through interview, a positive case is on isolation at least 10 days from the start of symptoms. A person is released from isolation when they are no longer considered contagious.
• Close contact: Through interview, individuals who are thought to be at most risk of contracting COVID from a confirmed case during the contagious period.
• Quarantine: Stay home and out of the public. A person is on quarantine for 14 days from the date of their last contact with a confirmed positive person. Symptoms can start up to 14 days after exposure and can be spread unknowingly if someone is out in the public during this time. 

Failure to comply with voluntary isolation and quarantine orders can result in mandated, court-ordered isolation and quarantine.

COVID can be spread up to 48 hours before a person starts with symptoms.  Anyone who has been at gatherings where little to no safety measures were in place is at risk of contracting COVID-19 and are asked to WATCH FOR THESE SYMPTOMS: Fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath, fatigue, body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, diarrhea. If you start with symptoms, isolate immediately and contact your healthcare provider about getting tested for COVID-19.

Information impacting the Phase of Restore Illinois, including numbers of new cases, hospitalizations, and ICU bed availability, is found at http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus.  This data is used to help determine risk of transmission and can impact Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan.

For testing, contact your healthcare provider or find local testing sites at https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/testing-sites .  There is also an open testing site at the Jackie Joyner Kersee Center in East St. Louis.

Boost your immune system by eating a variety of healthy foods, including Vitamins C and D and Zinc, exercising, getting plenty of rest, and drinking plenty of water!

 

Information From the IDPH:

IDPH is reporting a total of 200,427 cases, including 7,696 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.  Within the past 24 hours, laboratories have reported 46,006 specimens for a total of 3,235,807.  The preliminary seven-day statewide positivity for cases as a percent of total test from August 6 – August 12 is 4.0%.  As of last night, 1,628 people in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19.  Of those, 383 patients were in the ICU and 127 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.

Following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, IDPH is now reporting both confirmed and probable cases and deaths on its website.  Reporting probable cases will help show the potential burden of COVID-19 illness and efficacy of population-based non-pharmaceutical interventions.  IDPH will update these data once a week.

*All data are provisional and will change. In order to rapidly report COVID-19 information to the public, data are being reported in real-time. Information is constantly being entered into an electronic system and the number of cases and deaths can change as additional information is gathered.  For health questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.