LEE COUNTY — Lee County has 2 more positive cases of COVID-19 for a total of 21.  One of the new cases is a person in their 30’s and one is in their 40’s.  9 of the 21 individuals have recovered and been lifted off isolation. There were 1,980 new cases at the state level for a total of 45,883 across 96 counties statewide. The death toll has risen to 1,983.   

According to the Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health at today’s press conference, the list of possible symptoms for COVID-19 has expanded to include chills, constant shaking, muscle pain, headache, sore throat and a new loss of taste or smell, in addition to fever, cough or shortness of breath. If you are experiencing these symptoms, please consult with your healthcare provider.

The Unified Executive Leadership Team is working with State Representative Tom Demmer for clarification on the extension and revisions to Governor Pritzker’s “stay at home” order.  The new provisions begin May 1. Representative Demmer has told the team he expects a new FAQ sheet from the governor’s office very soon. 

What to do if you think you have COVID-19: (UPDATED INFORMATION)

During the current Corona Virus outbreak, individuals with symptoms SHOULD NOT GO to health care facilities such as hospitals, clinics, and urgent care centers without CALLING FIRST.  Instead, they can seek care by using one of the following options:

• Use the “KSB Care Anywhere” virtual care app (https://ksbhospital.zipnosis.com/) for a free 5 question screening in order to help differentiate your symptoms between the virus and other seasonal maladies. While a credit card is required for a more involved assessment, no charges will be applied if a COVID-19 testing referral is made.
• KSB is offering a Coronavirus HOTLINE, by which symptoms can be evaluated against federal screening guidelines, and if appropriate, a referral is made to their Drive-Thru Screening site. The screening site is available ONLY through the hotline and between 9:00 am and 5:00 pm on weekdays by calling 815-285-7777.
• Residents with a Primary Care Practitioner can also CALL their office for advice. Again, CALL FIRST before going to the office.

Residents can go to the following websites for additional information:

Go to KSB, IDPH, or CDC websites.  Lee County Health Department provides regular updates on its Facebook page.

• https://www.ksbhospital.com/coronavirus-outbreak-covid-19/
• http://dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus
• https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
• For businesses: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/community/guidance-business-response.html
• Facebook: Lee County IL Health Department

For general questions about COVID-19, call the IDPH hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or 211.