Three New Positive COVID-19 Cases in Effingham County

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Published on June 17 2020 9:24 pm
Written by Greg Sapp

Effingham County Health Department has reported three new positive cases of coronavirus disease in the county.

The report came Wednesday evening. The individuals, a female in her 50s and two males in their teens, have had contact with persons testing positive for coronavirus. They are currently at home following isolation protocol.

We had told you on our 5pm newscast that the Illinois Department of Public Health had reported a ninth case of coronavirus disease in Effingham County. We checked with the Effingham County Health Department on that matter and were told that a laboratory had incorrectly reported that the case should have been credited to another county than Effiingham County and that we were still at eight cases. The information about the three additional cases has been received since that time. That means there have been 11 positive cases of COVID-19 in Effingham County.

The overarching goal for restrictions for the stay at home order has been to slow the spread of disease so cases can be effectively managed with the resources available.

It is important to follow safety precautions as you travel about the community:

• Maintain social distance of 6 feet between yourself and others.

• Wear a mask when in close proximity to non-household members.

• Wash your hands or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

• Disinfect frequently touched surfaces.

• Sneeze or cough into a tissue, throw it away, and wash your hands.

Often persons with COVID-19 do not show symptoms until several days after the virus enters their system. If you begin to feel ill, isolate yourself at home, and call a medical provider if symptoms worsen. COVID-19 testing availability has increased in our community and is now available at several locations. Your medical provider can help you determine if testing is the best course of action for you. The Illinois Department of Public Health has established a 24-hour COVID-19 hotline at 1-800-889-3931 to answer questions. Other trusted sources of information include the CDC, IDPH, and ECHD websites.