The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 51 counties, or half of the counties in the state, are now at the medium or high level for COVID-19 hospitalizations.
As a result,, they are advising healthcare facilities to step up mitigation efforts to minimize the spread of respiratory viruses. The department issued a health alert Thursday to hospitals, long-term care facilities, and local health departments outlining various mitigation measures such as the use of masking and screening, especially in areas where more vulnerable patients are treated.
IDPH says it supports CDCI’s recommendation of facility-wide masking at health care facilities that are in counties rated at high level for COVIID-19 hospitalizations or per facility discretion in areas where data shows elevated transmission of other respiratory viruses such as flu and RSV, even if COVID-19 hospitalization levels are not high in those areas.
Marion County currently remains at the low level of COVID-19 hospitalizations with five reported in the week ending December 2nd, the latest numbers available. Marion County Health Department Administrator Melissa Mallow says one congregate care facility is currently on outbreak status. The Centralia facility has 17 staff and three residents that are COVID-19 positive.
Three other area counties are at the medium level. They are Jefferson and Wayne Counties with six new cases apiece and Fayette and Effingham Counties, with seven new hospitalizations apiece. Other area counties are all at the low level of COVID-19 hospitalizations. They are Clinton County with three new cases, and Clay County with two cases.
Statewide, 1,225 new COVID_19 hospitalizations were reported, up 22 percent over the previous week. COVID-19 is causing the most hospitalizations among respiratory viruses, but hospitalizations are also rising steadily for flu and RSV.
