2 La Salle County residents die from COVID-19 complications

Two women from La Salle County – one in her 70s and the other in her 80s – died from complications related to COVID-19.

There have been 20 coronavirus-related deaths countywide in 2023, and five have been reported within the past two months.

Jenny Barrie, a health educator at the La Salle County Health Department, previously said deaths are not always reported during the month they occur. There can be a lag in reporting within the state system, as the deaths were determined to be COVID-19-related after further review from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

La Salle County remains at low risk for COVID-19, according to the health department, in accordance with the standards set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There are 20 Illinois counties at medium risk, including Kankakee, Iroquois, Marshall and Vermillion, according to the CDC website.

Barrie said that this time of year it’s common to see an increase in illness from respiratory viruses such as COVID-19, influenza and RSV. Remember the three C’s – clean, cover and contain – to reduce the spread of germs.

• Clean – frequently wash your hands with soap and warm water.
• Cover – cover your cough and sneeze.
• Contain – contain your germs by staying home if you are sick.

The La Salle County Health Department encourages everyone to stay up to date on recommended vaccinations to protect themselves and those most vulnerable in their households, workplaces and the community, Barrie said.

La Salle County’s community level is based on these combined indicators. In the past seven days through Thursday, the rate of new hospital admissions of confirmed COVID-19 cases was 4.9 per 100,000 residents from the previous week and 6.5% of staffed inpatient beds were in use by patients with confirmed cases of COVID-19, according to the CDC website.

According to the CDC website, La Salle County has had a substantial increase in the number of staffed intensive care unit beds occupied by patients with confirmed COVID-19 within the past week. A substantial increase is anywhere from 6% to 7.9%.

From Nov. 10 to Nov. 16, there were 130 new COVID-19 cases confirmed by the La Salle County Health Department. There have been 525 COVID-19-related deaths in the county since the beginning of the pandemic.