Illinois COVID-19: Lake County at warning level as IL reports 2,905 new coronavirus cases, 31 deaths

Several COVID-19 cases linked to Holy Guardian Angels Parish in Brookfield

ByABC 7 Chicago Digital Team WLS logo

Sunday, October 11, 2020

Illinoisans on the border with Wisconsin worry about COVID-19 spikes

For the Illinoisans living along the border with Wisconsin, the exploding number of cases in their northern neighbors has them worried about spikes in their communities as well.

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Illinois public health officials announced 2,905 new cases of COVID-19 and 31 additional deaths Saturday.

The total number of COVID-19 cases in Illinois now stands at 316,423 with 8,975 deaths, the IDPH reported.

Twenty-six counties are currently reported at a warning level: Case, Christian, Clay, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, Effingham, Fayette, Henderson, Jackson, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Lake, Lee, Mason, Massac, Pulaski, Richland, Saline, Shelby, Union, Vermilion, Whiteside, Winnebago and Warren.

Counties enter warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that measure the amount of COVID-19 increase, according to health officials.

As of Friday night, 1,807 people are hospitalized with COVID-19, with 406 patients in the ICU and 166 on ventilators.

Over a 24-hour period, officials said the state processed 66,256 specimens for a total of 6,243,635. The seven-day positivity rate from Oct. 3 to 9 is 4%.

Residents of Illinois counties near the Wisconsin border are worried about the future with COVID-19 rates on the rise in their northern neighbor.

Positivity rates for nearby counties in Wisconsin are significantly higher than their counterparts across the border in Illinois. Walworth County, which includes Lake Geneva, is at 11.3%, Racine County is at 7.7% and Kenosha County is at 9.6%. Meanwhile in Illinois, Lake and McHenry counties are just over 5%.

Lake County's public health director said while there is no current travel quarantine mandate in place, people should avoid travel to Wisconsin while their COVID-19 cases are spiking. But to residents, there seems to be little difference which side of the border you're on.

Saturday's announced deaths include:

- Christian County: 1 male 70s

- Cook County: 1 female 40s, 2 males 40s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s, 1 male 90s

- DuPage County: 1 female 70s

- Fayette County: 2 males 70s

- Jefferson County: 1 female 70s

- Jersey County: 1 female 80s

- Kane County: 1 male 60s

- Knox County: 1 male 80s

- Lake County: 1 female 50s, 2 females 90s

- LaSalle County: 1 male 80s

- Marion County: 1 female 80s