Health Department Coronavirus Update 0518

Lake County, Ill. — The Lake County Health Department is reporting 473 additional cases of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and 12 new deaths in Lake County since Friday. This brings the total number of Lake County COVID-19 cases to 6,662 including 208 deaths (as of May 18, 2020, 1:30 p.m.).

The 12 new deaths are all among residents with underlying health conditions, a risk factor for severe illness from COVID-19, and include:

• One woman in her 50s
• One man in his 60s
• Two men in their 70s
• Five women in their 80s
• Three women in their 90s

The Health Department is investigating 45 long-term care facilities in the county that have two or more positive cases. These 45 facilities have a combined total of 955 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 133 deaths.

Contact tracing is a key strategy in slowing the spread of COVID-19. When a Lake County resident tests positive for COVID-19, contact tracers from the Lake County Health Department reach out to the infected person to provide information and support, and to identify others who may have had contact with the positive case. Staff notify these contacts of their possible exposure and help them understand next steps to prevent further spread of the disease. 

Today, Governor J.B. Pritzker announced the Illinois Contact Tracing Collaborative, a locally-driven approach to scale up contact tracing in Illinois. The Lake County Health Department was among two local health departments in the state chosen to pilot the program for having significant needs regarding case numbers in vulnerable populations, a robust capacity to scale up contact tracing efforts, and great existing collaborations of public health personnel, medical students, and volunteers already on the ground.

“We are proud to be piloting this new program with IDPH to rapidly reach those who have been in contact with COVID-19 cases and help prevent new infections,” said Lake County Health Department Executive Director Mark Pfister. “Contact tracing has been at the foundation of our response to COVID-19 since we identified our first case two months ago, and we encourage anyone who is interested in joining our efforts to apply through the IDPH website.”

Through this new partnership, the Lake County Health Department will be hiring additional contact tracers with funding provided by IDPH through Federal CARES money. Those interested in becoming a contact tracer can indicate their interest on the IDPH website at dph.illinois.gov/COVID19.

If you have questions about the contact tracing program, please call the IDPH hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV.

To learn more about contact tracing, please watch our video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eqhy34AFK7g (English) or https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=InjtquPmBgQ&feature=youtu.be (Spanish).

New Cases (since last update)	New Deaths (since last update)	Total Cases	Total Deaths
473	12	6,662	208

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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