1 In 5 Kane County Residents Testing Positive For COVID-19: KCHD

AURORA, IL — Amid a surge of delta and omicron cases, the Kane County Health Department reported one in five county residents are testing positive for COVID-19.

Kane County is currently averaging more than 900 cases of the novel coronavirus per day over the last week, the department announced Wednesday. In light of this, health officials are reminding residents to be extra cautious.

"We want to let our residents know that the potential to come into contact with someone with COVID is higher than it has ever been," Kane County Board Chair Corinne Pierog said in a statement. "We hope this information will be helpful in making decisions whether to be around others over the next few weeks. I would like to encourage our residents to wear a mask, practice social distancing and get vaccinated."

In Kane County, where community transmission is listed as high, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is reporting more than 4,800 cases — up about 75 percent from the previous week — in the last seven days.

Data shows there have also been 272 new hospital admissions in the county, which Kane County health officials said more than doubled in the past month. Across Region 7 hospitals, which are located in Kane and DuPage counties, only six of 133 ICU beds are available, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

So far in Kane County, 66.8 percent of people ages 5 and older are fully vaccinated, according to the CDC, whereas 38.3 percent of the fully vaccinated population has received a booster dose.

To get vaccinated, clinics are available across the county — including two in Aurora on Saturday. Staff at Kane Vax Hub, located at 501 N. Randall Road in Batavia and open through the end of January, are also administering COVID-19 vaccines and booster shots.

The holiday season might be over, but a need for testing remains across the state and in Illinois, leading Gov. J.B. Pritzker to expand hours and increase staffing at the state's community-based testing sites. At Aurora's location, 2450 N. Farnsworth Ave., testing is available from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

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