La Salle County remains in low COVID-19 risk as 13 counties in Illinois enter medium risk level

Thirteen counties, plus the city of Chicago, are now in medium COVID-19 risk, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, but La Salle County remains in low COVID-19 risk.

Medium risk means masks are strongly encouraged in indoor public spaces.

A La Salle County man in his 50s died from complications related to COVID-19 since April 29. His death is the first this month. There were five COVID-related deaths last month, which was the lowest in the county since July 2021.

There have been 469 COVID-19 related deaths in La Salle County since the beginning of the pandemic.

Additionally, there were 203 new COVID-19 cases confirmed countywide since April 29, which is up from 100 the previous week. Making up the new cases are 38 boys younger than 13, 20 girls younger than 13, 10 teenage boys, 10 teenage girls, eight men in their 20s, 17 women in their 20s, seven men in their 30s, 19 women in their 30s, eight men in their 40s, 11 women in their 40s, four men in their 50s, 11 women in their 50s, six men in their 60s, 13 women in their 60s, five men in their 70s, seven women in their 70s, seven men in their 80s, a woman in her 80s and a man in his 90s.

There were 65 residents previously confirmed with COVID-19 who have been removed from isolation since April 29.

La Salle County’s community level is based on these combined indicators: Case rate/total cases in last seven days of 161.04/100,000; new hospital admissions of confirmed COVID-19 in the last seven days of four admissions or 3.8/100,000; and percentage of staffed inpatient beds in use by patients with confirmed COVID-19 in the last seven days of 0.8%.

Regardless of community level, La Salle County Health Department recommendations for isolation for those testing positive and those exposed, isolation and quarantine also remain the same, including masking from days 6 to 10 when isolation/quarantine end.

The La Salle County Health Department schedules all COVID-19 tests online. Access the link at https://hipaa.jotform.com/220026540796151

La Salle County Health Department urges everyone 5 years and older to get vaccinated and all eligible individuals to get a booster. Individuals who need to start the COVID-19 vaccination series or a booster, call the La Salle County Health Department at 815-433-3366 to schedule an appointment. The health department has Johnson and Johnson, Moderna and Pfizer available.

In La Salle County, 58% of the population is fully vaccinated for COVID-19, 61.75% of the population has received at least one dose of the vaccine and 34,819 boosters have been administered, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

To search for vaccine locations available near you visit https://www.vaccines.gov/.