Kane County Health Department Encourages Residents To Renew Efforts To Stop Spread Of Covid-19

From the City of Geneva:

Kane County Health Department Director Barbara Jeffers urges residents to continue taking steps to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in the community.

“We have seen a steady increase in the number of positive cases over the past month,” states Jeffers. “We are seeing too many people disregarding recommendations that is leading to COVID-19 related increased illness and subsequent death.”

The Illinois Department of Public Health added Kane County to its watch list today. This designation occurs when two of the six metrics identified by the State reach the warning level. For Kane County, the two measures that were above the set threshold include the new case rate and number of deaths. The new case rate in Kane County reported by IDPH for the week ending Aug. 8 is 105 per 100,000 and goal is to be below 50 per 100,000.

There were seven deaths reported by IDPH during that week, up from five the previous week and four the week before that. The warning level for this measure occurs when there are two consecutive weeks with more than a 20% increase. Kane County is meeting stated thresholds for other measures.Director Jeffers reports that IDPH adding Kane County to the watch list is a reminder for the community that the pandemic is not over yet.

“We are all in this together,” says Jeffers, “by practicing proven measures today, we will reduce future cases, which in turn reduces disruptions in our business and school communities.”

The guidance includes wearing a face covering, maintaining 6 ft social distance, washing hands frequently, avoiding large gatherings, and staying home when you are ill.

The Health Department is announcing the implementation of additional measures to enhance its response. Starting Monday, Aug. 17, an additional 90 full-time contact tracers will be conducting investigations and tracing activities, a fivefold capacity increase. The Department’s goal is to respond to every case within 24 hours of identification so staff can quickly provide guidance to ill and potentially exposed residents.“It is important for residents to answer the phone and participate in the investigation process,” says Jeffers, “in cooperating with the investigation; residents are potentially saving someone’s life by stopping the spread of the virus.”

The Health Department will also be augmenting its ability to respond to resident concerns about businesses that may not be taking steps to protect customers and employees. Residents can report their concerns by calling 630-208-3801 or sending an e-mail. The Department is working with the Kane County Sheriff’s Office and States Attorney to investigate and enforce violations.

Kane County provided a detailed metric breakdown in its Aug. 14 news release.

For more information about the City of Geneva’s COVID-19 response, visit the City’s website.

This press release was produced by the City of Geneva. The views expressed here are the author’s own.