COVID-19 Case-by-Case Update

Photo courtesy to the CDC

NORMAL, Ill.- McLean County Health Department is reporting 217 new cases of COVID-19 today, bringing the total to 2,312 cases.

Currently, 1079 individuals are isolating at home.  Six individuals are currently hospitalized, two of which are currently in the Intensive Care Unit. There are 1210 individuals that have been released from isolation and are considered recovered.

“We are saddened to report that we have been notified of another COVID-related death in McLean County, a male in his 90s who had underlying health conditions,” said Health Department Administrator  Jessica McKnight. “Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of all who have been affected by this virus.”

There are now 17 COVID-related deaths in McLean County.

Over 50,000 tests have been resulted for a cumulative positivity rate of 4.6%. The rolling 7-day positivity rate is 10.9% through Sept. 3, 2020.

Based on the number of new cases reported per 100,000 population and a positivity rate above 8%, McLean County will be placed on the Illinois Department of Public Health’s county-level warning list this week.

The McLean County Health Department has been monitoring these key indicators and making recommendations to local leaders about additional measures that can be taken and precautions that can be used to mitigate the further spread of the virus.

“Individuals, families and community groups can also use these critical data to help inform their choices about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do,” said McKnight.

For example, if the local area is currently in the warning level, some questions you should consider include: Should I still attend or host a large gathering? Are there additional precautions I should take given my personal/family health risks?  Should I wait to dine out or go to a movie?

“In McLean County we continue to see increased transmission related to lack of social distancing in workplaces, bars and at in-person gatherings,” said McKnight. “It is important that we all take simple precautions to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19 such as washing our hands, watching our distance, and wearing our face coverings.”

If you have tested positive for COVID-19 but continue to have no symptoms you still need to isolate. If you continue to have no symptoms you can be around others after 10 days have passed since you had a positive viral test for COVID-19.

If you have had close contact with someone with COVID-19 you should stay home in quarantine, monitoring for symptoms, for 14 days after your last exposure to that person.  Even if you test negative after being a close contact to someone with COVID-19 you still should complete the entire 14 days of quarantine.  It can take between 2 and 14 days after exposure to develop symptoms of COVID-19 and you can spread the virus even before you develop symptoms. You cannot test your way out of quarantine.

“To help our county move forward it is going to take a community effort to prevent the further spread of infection,” said McKnight. “This includes all of us working together and doing what we can to protect our friends, family, neighbors and co-workers.”