Health Department Reports Nine New COVID-19 Cases

Effingham County Health Department Wednesday received notice of another nine new positive cases of Coronavirus Disease.

A male and female in their teens, a male and female in their 20s, two females and one male in their 30s, and one female in her 40s have had contact with persons testing positive for COVID. A male in his 30s has had no known contact with a positive case. All are doing well in isolation.

Effingham County's positive case count has reached 21 in three days. The Health Department says that's one of the key metrics in determining a pattern of increased, sustained COVID activity. A rate below 50 per 100,000 population is desirable for a seven-day period. For the first three days of the current seven-day period, Effingham County's rate is 62 per 100,000 population. The Health Department asks people in the community to consider whether to attend or host a large gathering, or additional precautions they could take given your personal and/or family health risks.

The Illinois Department of Public Health will release new counties placed at a warning level on Friday.