(The Center Square) – State public health officials said Friday that 30 counties had reached a warning level for the spread of COVID-19.
The counties that reached the warning level were Bond, Bureau, Cass, Clinton, Coles, Crawford, DeKalb, DuPage, Effingham, Greene, Grundy, Hancock, Henderson, Jackson, Jasper, Jersey, Lawrence, Madison, McLean, Monroe, Morgan, Pulaski, Schuyler, Shelby, Stark, St. Clair, Tazewell, Vermilion, Washington, Williamson.
The Illinois Department of Public Health said that while the reasons vary, some common factors for the increase in cases and outbreaks included college parties, weddings, large gatherings, bars and clubs, long-term care facilities and other congregate settings, travel to neighboring states, and spread among members of the same household who are not isolating at home. Health officials also said cases connected to schools were beginning to be reported and that community transmission of the virus was on the rise.
“Public health officials are observing people not social distancing, gathering in large groups, and not using face coverings. In some counties, local law enforcement and states’ attorneys are not enforcing important mitigation measures like social distancing and the wearing of face coverings,” the department said in a news release. “Additionally, some people refuse to participate in contact tracing and are not providing information on close contacts or answering the phone. Individuals are also waiting to get tested believing their symptoms are allergies or some other cause.”
Northern Illinois University, which is located in DeKalb County, announced Friday that it will go to online classes until at least Sept. 25.
“Effective immediately, we are temporarily moving undergraduate courses online and expect all students who reside on campus, and undergraduates who live in DeKalb County, to limit in-person activities and interactions until Monday, Sept. 28,” NIU President Lisa Freeman wrote in a message to students.
Freeman said the goal was to contain the virus before case counts become unmanageable.
“This immediate action is similar to what other universities recently had to implement,” she wrote. “By doing this now, when our positivity rates are lower and manageable, we have more opportunity to stop the spread of the virus before things escalate further.”
