Health Department Coronavirus Update 0421

Lake County, Ill. — The Lake County Health Department is reporting 78 additional cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and five new deaths in Lake County since yesterday. This brings the total number of Lake County COVID-19 cases to 2,302 including 85 deaths (as of April 21, 2020, 1:30 p.m.).

The five deaths reported include:  

• One man in his 60s
• Two men in their 70s with underlying medical conditions
• Two men in their 90s with underlying medical conditions

The Health Department is investigating 28 long-term care facilities in the county that have two or more positive cases. These 28 facilities have a combined total of 388 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 53 deaths.

“Tomorrow is Earth Day, and we encourage our residents to take some time to enjoy the day,” said Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister. “Being outdoors is beneficial to both body and mind, which is especially important during stressful situations like this pandemic. Please remember, however, to practice social distancing and wear cloth face coverings in public to protect yourselves and others."

There is an urgent need for donations of sewn cloth face coverings, which will be distributed by community organizations to vulnerable residents. 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 Deaths (since last update)	Total Cases	Total Deaths
78	5	2,302	85

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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