Du Quoin cancels Back To School party as officials concerned with COVID numbers, positivity rate

The city of Du Quoin has decided that rather than run the risk of Friday's Back to School Party becoming a virus-spreading event, they would call it off.

"After meetings with Du Quoin Public Safety, Fire, Police and District 300 the decision has been made to cancel," Mayor Guy Alongi wrote on his Facebook page. "The risk far outweighs the benefits of having a party that could spread the virus," he added. "We took into consideration the teachers, students, parents and others who may be working the event and we are going to err on the side of caution."

Alongi said the city didn't think they could successfully sanitize Keyes Park to make it a completely safe environment.

"We want the school year to start with in-class learning and we do not want to risk the health of our children, teachers and public safety staff," he wrote.

At Monday night's city council meeting the party was still tentatively on, but Alongi made it clear he didn't like what the COVID numbers were showing in Perry County.

"Our positivity rate is 10% and things aren't going in a good direction," he said. The state's benchmark for a positivity rate that merits concern is 8%. "The party could still get canceled."

On Tuesday, it was.

In the past week, the Perry County Health Department has reported 108 additional cases of COVID-19; 59 between Aug. 5 and Monday; another 23 between Monday and Wednesday of this week; and an additional 26 cases in the 24 hours between Wednesday and Thursday.

Also, a man in his 60s has died from COVID, the health department said, bringing the overall pandemic death toll in Perry County to 65.

As of Thursday, the county said it has 152 active cases. The health department does not reveal how many, if any, of those patients are hospitalized.

Of the latest 106 cases, 16 patients are under 18 and 92 patients are over 18.

According to state COVID-19 metrics, as of July 31, Perry County had 246 new cases per 100,000 - while the state benchmark is 50 per 100,000.

The next scheduled COVID vaccination clinic will be held from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 18, at the Perry County Health Department. Call the department at (618) 357-5371 for information.