Number of Randolph County COVID cases rises to 87 Saturday
The number of COVID-19 cases in Randolph County rose by eight Saturday, as the Randolph County Health Department of Public Health confirmed 87 total cases here, up from the 79 reported on Friday.
According to Health Department Administrator Angela Oathout's daily news release on Saturday, there are 38 active cases currently, including three people who are hospitalized and 35 who are under quarantine and recovering at home.
Altogether as of Saturday, 48 patients had been released to resume normal activity; one has died and 301 individuals have tested negative.
Randolph County's one death has been 84-year-old Don Welge, the Gilster Mary-Lee Corp. president and CEO.
Oathout said officials will consider releasing an individual from quarantine after they have fulfilled the recommended period of isolation and have been asymptomatic for three consecutive days.
"We are monitoring businesses deemed essential as well as larger employers in the county to ensure they are also following our recommendations for a safe working environment and to prevent the spread of COVID-19," Oathout added in her release.
"We are making progress; however, we continue to see positive cases emerge in the county of Randolph. Please, wear a mask in community settings, avoid group gatherings as much as possible, and practice social distancing by using the 6-foot rule, practice good hand hygiene by using soap and water, use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available, avoid non-essential trips and stay home."
For privacy reasons, Randolph health officials are not identifying the patients by gender or age, but they are offering the ZIP codes of where those cases reside: 62233 (Chester); 62242 (Evansville); 62272 (Percy); 62277 (Prairie du Rocher); 62278 (Red Bud); 62286 (Sparta); 62288 (Steeleville) and 62297 (Walsh).
To the east of Randolph County, Perry County has seven laboratory confirmed cases and no deaths; while nearer to St. Louis, St. Clair County is reporting 363 cases and 24 deaths, while Monroe County has 63 cases and 10 deaths.
Jackson County reported Saturday they have a total of 66 cases and seven deaths.