Randolph County coronavirus rates are at 'warning' levels again, IDPH says
Seventy-four cases of COVID-19 among the prison population at Menard Correction Center make up nearly half of all active cases of coronavirus in Randolph County, the Randolph County Health Department said Monday in a news release.
According to the release there are 133 active cases of COVID. One person is hospitalized and 132 are recovering at home.
Altogether, Randolph County has had 757 confirmed cases of COVID, with 616 of them having recovered and released to normal activity.
Eight persons have died from the coronavirus.
Randolph County's cumulative positivity rate is 8.3%, and the state's weekly rate for each county shows a 11.6% rate for Randolph for Aug. 16-22. Anything over 8% puts the county in a "warning" mode.
As well, the state also says the county has 371 new cases per 100,000 tests, whereas the target is 50 per 100,000.
The total number of tests done in Randolph County is 9,014, with 8,257 coming up negative.
The health department lists the following ZIP codes where the current active cases are: 62233, 62237, 62242, 62259, 62277, 62278, 62286 and 62288.
"The COVID-19 virus is community spread and we are experiencing a steady rise in positive COVID-19 cases throughout the county," Health Administration Angela Oathout said in the release.
"Please follow the recommended guidelines, wear a mask any time you are in public and are not able to maintain a distance of 6 feet (or more) between you and others.
"Stay away from areas where groups of people congregate, refrain from any physical contact and wash your hands frequently.
Monroe, St. Clair and Perry counties are also among area counties being listed as in a "warning" status by the state. Further south, Union, Johnson and Williamson are too. To the east, White County is in a warning,
The state risk categories where Randolph County is performing within the margins including the number deaths from coronavirus, and ICU bed availability - the state requires at least 20% of beds be available at times in ICU hospital units. In Randolph County the empty beds are 41.2% of all beds.