Health Department Coronavirus Update 0423

Lake County, Ill. — The Lake County Health Department is reporting 190 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 2,578 including 98 deaths (as of April 23, 2020, 1:30 p.m.).

The five new deaths include:

• One man and one woman in their 50s. The woman had underlying health conditions;
• One man and one woman in their 60s. The woman had underlying health conditions;
• One woman in her 90s with underlying health conditions.

The Health Department is investigating 30 long-term care facilities in the county that have two or more positive cases. These 30 facilities have a combined total of 446 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 64 deaths.

On Thursday, April 23, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced he would extend the stay-at-home order through May 30, with some modifications taking effect on May 1. The new modifications include that every person over the age of 2 who is medically able must wear a face covering in public places where social distancing is difficult to maintain.

Over the past week, a number of Lake County municipalities have enacted their own face covering mandates, including Highland Park, Deerfield, Mundelein, Waukegan, and North Chicago. Please check with your community for details on local requirements. Regardless of where you live, the Health Department recommends all Lake County residents wear face coverings in public to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Information on how to wear and care for cloth face coverings, including DIY instructions for creating them from common household items are available on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html.

"We are aligned with the Governor’s message today—the stay-at-home order has saved lives in our state and in Lake County," said Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister. "Please continue to stay home unless you absolutely must go out and continue with social distancing and handwashing. Together, we will continue to slow the spread of COVID-19." 

This afternoon, the Lake County Health Department upgraded the interactive "COVID-19 Cases by Municipality Map" to bring further clarity regarding locations of cases in the county. When you click a municipality, you will now see a breakdown of cases by municipality and those in unincorporated areas surrounding the municipality. View the map on the Coronavirus Data Hub, www.lakecountyil.gov/COVID19data.

New Cases (since last update)	New Deaths (since last update)	Total Cases	Total Deaths
190	5	2,578	98

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.

Illinois has launched Call4Calm, a free emotional support text line for Illinois residents experiencing stress and mental health issues related to COVID-19. To speak with a mental health professional, text “TALK” or “HABLAR” (for Spanish) to 552020.

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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