Hospitals 'Plead' For Residents To Celebrate NYE At Home: City

AURORA, IL — Cases of COVID-19 are continuing to increase in Kane County and with New Year's celebrations on the horizon, Aurora hospital executives are "pleading" with residents to celebrate at home, city officials said in a Thursday Facebook post.

"Aurora hospital executives are pleading with residents to ring in the new year at home rather than at a party or public place," officials wrote.

Area hospitals are seeing an increase in hospitalizations amid the omicron wave. As of Thursday, 193 people have been admitted to hospitals in Kane County in the last seven days, up 30.4 percent from the previous week, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Available ICU beds across Kane and DuPage counties are also waning. According to state data, 87 percent of ICU beds at Region 8 hospitals are currently being used, meaning only 42 beds are available.

With transmission across the county is currently listed as "high," 4,415 COVID-19 cases have been reported the past week in Kane County, a 57 percent increase from the week prior, according to the CDC.

In Illinois, 440 cases of the omicron variant have been detected, an increase from the 177 reported Monday, according to Illinois Department of Public Health data.

"We encourage everyone to follow COVID-19 safety precautions like wearing a mask and social distancing to help celebrate the New Year safely," Courtney Satlak, director of marketing strategy at Rush Copley Medical Center, told Patch.

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In relaying information from Chief Operating Officer Mary Shilkaitis, Satlak also people shouldn't go out if they're even "a little sick," instead erring on the side of caution.

Officials at AMITA Health Mercy Medical Center, on the other hand, are encouraging small gatherings with people who are vaccinated, tested and free of symptoms.

"We were all hoping to enjoy a bit more normal celebrations of New Year’s Eve this year, but, unfortunately, that would be unwise," Michael Kelleher, chief medical officer for AMITA Health Mercy Medical Center Aurora, said in a statement relayed to Patch by Timothy Nelson, director of communications and media relations.

He continues: "With COVID-19 cases dramatically increasing locally and nationally, we’re asking everyone to continue to play it safe. Smaller gatherings with those you know are vaccinated, tested and free of symptoms of respiratory illness would be the safest way to go. Please avoid larger, public celebrations. We all want to ring in 2022 in good health."

We were all hoping to enjoy a bit more normal celebrations of New Year’s Eve this year, but, unfortunately, that would be unwise. With COVID-19 cases dramatically increasing locally and nationally, we’re asking everyone to continue to play it safe. Smaller gatherings with those you know are vaccinated, tested and free of symptoms of respiratory illness would be the safest way to go. Please avoid larger, public celebrations. We all want to ring in 2022 in good health.

As of Tuesday, Rush Copley Medical Center in Aurora implemented a no-visitor policy in order to "help preserve the health and safety of our patients, staff, visitors and students." No exceptions will be made to this rule for visitors under 18, people with flu-like symptoms or anyone that has been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, the hospital's website states.

AMITA hospitals, which include the location in Aurora, also implemented a similar policy, allowing no visitors — with few exceptions — until further notice. Instead, people are encouraged to contact their family by telephone or video app.

Current circumstances have also forced Gov. J.B. Pritzker to increase the hours of operation at the state's community-based testing sites. Starting the week of Jan. 3, Aurora's location, at 2450 N. Farnsworth Ave., will be open six days a week — previously four — from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily.

RELATED: Aurora COVID-19 Testing Site Expands Operations To 6 Days A Week