Perry County COVID-19 cases up another eight as of Thursday and Friday
The Perry County Health Department was notified of five additional confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 on Thursday and three more on Friday, bringing the total positive cases here to 149.
The county remains under "warning" status by the Illinois Department of Public Health because of three metrics:
Too many new cases of COVID-19. As of Thursday, Perry County's weekly rate was 118 per $100,000; while the state target is fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000.
The weekly positivity rate. Perry County's weekly positivity rate was 10.5% on Thursday, while the state target is less than 8%.
Number of tests being done.
The criteria where Perry County is within normal ranges are: number of deaths; ICU availability; weekly emergency department visits; weekly hospital admissions; and clusters.
Perry County is among eight southern Illinois counties now considered to be at a warning level for the novel coronavirus, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced earlier this week.
The other southern Illinois counties are Jackson, Randolph, Gallatin, St. Clair, Johnson, White and Saline. Three others on the list are Sangamon, Cass and Jo Daviess.
The IDPH says these metrics are intended to help local leaders, businesses, local health departments, and the public make informed decisions about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do. The metrics are updated weekly, with data from the Sunday-Saturday of the prior week.
The latest diagnosed individuals in Perry County include one teenage girl, one male under 18, one woman and one man in their 50s, and one woman in her 80s.
One additional employee of the Perry County long-term care facility has tested positive. Last Sunday, the health department announced an outbreak at the Pinckneyville Nursing & Rehabilitation that involved 14 residents and five employees.
The summary of the 149 confirmed cases are:
57 active cases
91 patients released from isolation.
One death.
Perry County has had 3,132 negative test results.
According to the IDPH, too many residents of the 11 counties now considered at "warning" status have not been wearing face coverings.
The IDPH also said the counties have had outbreaks associated with business operations and activities that pose a higher risk for disease spread - like graduation ceremonies, a rise in cases among late teens and 20s, parties and social gatherings, people going to bars, long-term care outbreaks, clusters of cases associated with restaurants and churches, and big sports events including soccer, golf and softball tournaments.
Public health officials are finding that most contacts to cases are testing positive as well.
The IDPH, however, offered kudos to local health officials who have taken swift action to help slow the spread of the virus. Examples they cite include Perry County hospitals and nursing homes temporarily suspending visitors; the state's attorney in Jackson County allowing the local food ordinance to be used to enforce COVID-19 guidance at restaurants and bars; and the Springfield mayor requiring bar employees to wear masks or be subject to fines.
All patients are in isolation and working with the Perry County Health Department. If you have any questions, contact the Perry County Health Department at (618) 357-5371.