Health Department Coronavirus Update 0428

Lake County, Ill. — The Lake County Health Department is reporting 137 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 3,228 including 119 deaths (as of April 28, 2020, 1:15 p.m.).

The five new deaths are all among residents with underlying health conditions, a risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19, and include:

• One man in his 60s
• One man and one woman in their 70s
• One man in his 80s
• One man in his 90s

The Health Department is investigating 32 long-term care facilities in the county that have two or more positive cases. These 32 facilities have a combined total of 541 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 76 deaths.

National Infant Immunization Week is April 25-May 2, 2020, and the Health Department reminds parents of the importance of protecting infants and young children from vaccine-preventable diseases, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Giving babies their recommended vaccinations by age 2 is the best way to protect them from 14 serious childhood diseases, such as whooping cough (pertussis) and measles. There is currently no vaccine for COVID-19.

“Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing disease and death,” said Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister. “Routine medical care is considered an essential service during COVID-19, and we urge parents, talk to your child’s healthcare provider about safely keeping your child up to date on their vaccinations. Delaying vaccinations increases the likelihood that we will see a resurgence of preventable diseases like measles in Lake County.”

Additional information on the importance of vaccinations can be found at: www.lakecountyil.gov/862/Immunizations or https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/events/niiw/index.html

New Cases (since last update)	New Deaths (since last update)	Total Cases	Total Deaths
137	5	3,228	119

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   

Governor J.B. 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. On April 23, 2020, the Governor announced plans to issue another order with modified stay-at-home guidelines, including mandatory use of face coverings, effective May 1-30, 2020.  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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