From Prairie News Staff Reports
While Gov. JB Pritzker said on Tuesday that Illinois is stockpiling medical supplies and expanding hospital capacity to prepare for a sharp increase in demand due to the coronavirus disease, COVID-19, no cases have yet been reported in most local counties.
Stark, Henry and Knox counties have yet to see their first confirmed COVID-19 case, though board chairs have issued Disaster Declarations in all three counties. Marshall County had its first confirmed case Monday, according to the Bureau, Putnam and Marshall County Health Department. Peoria Couty remains at three cases.
On Tuesday, statewide cases increased to 1,535 and the reported death toll increased to 16.
Grundy County is now the 32nd Illinois county with at least one confirmed case.
Those numbers would have been substantially worse, Pritzker said, without social restrictions he put in place, such as closing schools, bars and restaurants, issuing a stay-at-home order and urging people to practice “social distancing.”
“In our worst-case scenario projections – that is without the stay-at-home order – in one week, we would need over 2,500 more non-ICU beds and 800 ICU beds than we have in existence in the entire state today,” Pritzker said. “Further still, in two weeks, we would need over 28,000 additional non-ICU beds, and over 9,400 additional ICU beds. That’s untenable.”
Pritzker has not yet predicted how long current social restrictions will remain in place, but took issue with President Trump, who said Tuesday he would like to see the country “opened up” by Easter, which is April 12.
COVID-19 restrictions on the local level include:
• Both the Henry and Stark county jails are not allowing visitors and have suspended social programs to distance inmates.
• All state facilities within the counties are closed to the public, including Secretary of State’s offices, Hennepin State Parkway, Rock Island Trail State Park and Johnson-Sauk Park.
• Most government organizations are planning to hold virtual public meetings in the coming weeks.
And while emergency services remain open across the area, there are various municipal restrictions.
• The City of Toulon has closed City Hall to the public. Payments can be made in an outside drop box.
• The City of Wyoming has closed City Hall to the public. Payments can be made in an outside drop box.
• The City of Galva’s City Hall is open for counter business only. Late payment fees will be adjusted, accordingly. All city parks are closed until further notice.
• The Village of Bradford has closed Village Hall. And interviews for the Bradford Community Scholarship Fund will be rescheduled.
Finally, the Henry and Stark County Health Department is working with the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control to conduct measures and dispense information to mitigate community spread of COVID-19. With this in mind, the Health Department notes that not everyone should be tested for COVID-19 and reminds local residents that individuals will not be tested unless they meet current testing protocols that will be determined by their healthcare provider.
For general questions about COVID-19, call the IDPH COVID-19 Hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@illinois.gov.
Patients should call a healthcare provider if they have:
• fever, cough, trouble breathing, or other flu-like symptoms that are not better or are worsening after 24-48 hours;
•Mild symptoms and are pregnant or immunosuppressed or are an older adult with chronic health conditions.
