Health Department Coronavirus Update 0511

Lake County, Ill. — The Lake County Health Department is reporting 377 additional cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and six new deaths in Lake County since Friday. This brings the total number of Lake County COVID-19 cases to 5,433 including 170 deaths (as of May 11, 2020, 1:30 p.m.).

The six 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 40s
• One man and two women in their 70s
• One man in his 80s
• One woman in her 90s

The Health Department is investigating 38 long-term care facilities in the county that have two or more positive cases. These 38 facilities have a combined total of 794 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 112 deaths.

In Illinois, every person over age 2 who is medically able to must wear a face covering when in public places where social distancing is difficult to maintain, such as the grocery store. Face coverings need to completely cover your nose and mouth to be effective. They can be made from common household items, such as a t-shirt or towel. Detailed instructions are available on the CDC website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/diy-cloth-face-coverings.html.

"Face coverings help protect others in your community, and we ask all residents to take this simple step to slow the spread of COVID-19,” said Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister. "Face coverings or masks are part of our ‘new normal’ when leaving home. Please remember to wear it correctly, continue to practice social distancing, and wash your hands often."

Here are some additional tips on how to wear and care for a cloth face mask:

• Wash your mask before the first time you use it
• Using clean hands, cover your mouth and nose with the mask
• Ensure there are no gaps between your face and the mask
• Don’t touch the mask while you’re wearing it
• Remove the mask from behind, and immediately wash your hands after removing it
• Between uses, wash masks using soap (regular laundry detergent is fine) and warm water, and thoroughly dry before wearing again
• The mask may need to be ironed to close any gaps or rolling of fabric

New Cases (since last update)	New Deaths (since last update)	Total Cases	Total Deaths
377	6	5,433	170

• ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:   

Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued Executive Order 2020-32 effective Friday, May 1 through May 29, 2020. This new order allows Illinoisans to leave their home for essential activities but otherwise requires them to stay at home or their place of residence to prevent spread of COVID-19. Individuals are required to wear a face covering in public places when they are unable to maintain a six-foot social distance, such as in stores. For more information, please visit https://coronavirus.illinois.gov/s/stay-at-home-faqs.

The State of Illinois opened a drive-thru Community-Based Testing Site in Waukegan (2161 Northwestern Avenue, Waukegan.) on Sunday, May 3. The site is open 7 days a week from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m. or until 750 test kits are completed for the day. The Illinois National Guard administers the tests, and results are provided by phone in 4-7 days. Testing is free, and available to anyone regardless of immigration status. A phone number and name are required in order to receive testing results. Photo IDs are useful in ensuring a smooth process, but are not required. No one will be turned away. Demand is high, so please expect long wait times.

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   

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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