Health Department Coronavirus Update 0415

Lake County, Ill. — The Lake County Health Department is reporting 80 additional cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and nine new deaths in Lake County. This brings the total number of Lake County COVID-19 cases to 1,721 including 65 deaths (as of April 15, 2020, 3:00 p.m.).

The nine new deaths reported are all among residents who had underlying health conditions, a risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19, including:

• One man in his 50s
• One woman in her 60s
• Three women in their 80s
• One man and two women in their 90s
• One man age 100+

The Health Department is investigating 24 long-term care facilities in the county that have two or more positive cases. These 24 facilities have a combined total of 302 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

"To date, Lake County has distributed more than 270,000 items of personal protective equipment (PPE) to Lake County first responders, long-term care facilities, and other local agencies in need," said Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister. "We are grateful to those who have stepped up to donate critical supplies to keep those on the front lines protected.”

If you or your business have access to PPE, please consider making a donation. Surgical, earloop and N-95 masks, gowns, gloves, eye protection, disinfectant wipes, hand sanitizer and forehead thermometers are among the most needed supplies. All items should be in the manufacturer’s original packaging and unopened.

Donations of PPE in small amounts that can be transported in a personal vehicle can be coordinated with Rebecca Kumar, Lake County Emergency Management Specialist, RKumar@lakecountyil.gov. Large donations can be made through the State of Illinois website:  https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/serve/Disaster/Pages/COVID-19-PPE-Donations.aspx

Community organizations have also requested donations of sewn cloth face coverings to distribute to vulnerable populations. Those who are willing to make and donate masks can find details on the United Way of Lake County’s COVID-19 Volunteer Opportunities page. English and Spanish instructions for making cloth masks are available on the Health Department and CDC websites.

New Cases (since last update)	New Deaths (since last update)	Total Cases	Total Deaths
80	9	1,721	65

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:   

Please visit Lake County's Coronavirus Page for more information, including:

• How to protect yourself
• What to do if you are sick   
• Testing availability
• Interactive data hub
• Sign up for the Health Department’s COVID-19 newsletter
• How to get help
• How to help others    

Please visit Lake County Health Department Modification Page for information on Health Department Service Modifications.

For a list of government closures, visit Lake County's Closure Page.

If you have general questions, please email COVID19@lakecountyil.gov. Public health officials will answer the top questions weekly. Please note, the Health Department will not provide personal medical advice through this email address.

Additional resources   

On Friday, March 20, Governor Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-10 requiring all Illinoisans to stay in their homes through April 30, 2020, to prevent the further spread of COVID-19.  For more information, please visit https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/stay-at-home-faqs. 

Anyone needing assistance finding food, shelter, rent or utility assistance, or other essential services, CALL 211 or TEXT your zip code to 898211 to speak with someone who can help 24/7. To receive general COVID-19 information via text message, text “COVID19” to 211211. For more information, visit www.211lakecounty.org.

For general state and national information, please call the Illinois State Hotline at 1-800-899-3931, or visit the Illinois Department of Public Health website at dph.illinois.gov, or the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website at coronavirus.gov. 

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