UPDATE SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2020: There is a post on the Lee County Health Department’s Facebook page announcing 3 new positive cases of COVID-19.  Two of the individuals are in their 60’s and one is in his or her 30’s.  There are now a total of 12 positive cases in Lee County.  The additional cases are not a surprise and are a reminder to continue following the executive order, even on Easter tomorrow.

THIS WILL BE THE LAST DAILY UPDATE FROM THIS TEAM UNTIL MONDAY, APRIL 13^TH.

ANY URGENT OR IMPORTANT INFORMATION WILL STILL BE SHARED APPROPRIATELY

LEE COUNTY — There are now 9 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Lee County. Today, KSB Hospital received 25 test results for Lee County, 3 positive and 22 negative. The new cases are a person in their 30’s, a person in their 40’s, and a person in their 70’s.  7 more people were tested at the KSB Hospital COVID-19 drive thru testing site. KSB is seeing a much quicker turnaround on test results. 

The state death toll has surpassed 500, climbing to 528. There were 1,344 new cases reported across the state for a total of 16,422 positive cases of COVID-19. 81 of the 102 Illinois counties are reporting confirmed cases.  In today’s press conference, Governor Pritzker reported some potentially positive signs that we are working towards “flattening the curve.” This is largely due to the “stay at home” order, social distancing, and the other recommendations coming from the CDC. As a community we must stay diligent to the order and recommendations through the Easter weekend and beyond. At a time when our community is having more and more positive test results, we do not want to do anything that sets us back. 

EASTER WEEKEND

Court Ordered Visitation:

Lee County State’s Attorney Charley Boonstra has received questions regarding visitation related to COVID-19.  Absent a modification to any existing custody order, parents are expected to honor their court ordered visitation. Parents are encouraged to reach out to their attorney, or seek the advice of an attorney, should they have questions about any COVID-19 related visitation issues. Only a Judge can modify a court order, and all orders are subject to enforcement by local, county, and state law enforcement.

SNOW BIRDS ARE ASKED TO CONTACT THE LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT:

It is that time of year where “snow birds” will be returning north to their primary homes.  These are people who live at a secondary residence during certain times of the year, generally traveling to areas of the country with a warmer winter temperature.  If you are returning to Lee County, please contact the health department at 815/284-3371.  The health department will make recommendations to keep you, your family, and our community safe.   

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.