The Knox County Health Department (KCHD) is announcing 61 new cases of Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19), between Tuesday, September 29, 2020 through Thursday, October 1, 2020, bringing the total positive cases to 745. Due to federal privacy restriction, release of any additional information is prohibited. In every effort to reduce the risk of additional transmission, local public health officials are working to identify and actively monitor individuals who were in direct contact with these individuals.
The new cases include:
● 1 Male <10
● 3 Females 10s
● 3 Male 10s
● 3 Females 20s
● 5 Males 20s
● 2 Female 30s
● 5 Males 30s
● 7 Females 40s
● 3 Males 40s
● 4 Female 50s
● 7 Males 50s
● 7 Female 60s
● 5 Male 60s
● 1 Female 70s
● 2 Males 70s
● 1 Female 80s
● 2 Male 80s
Public Information Officer for the Knox County Health Department, Erin Olson, states “it is imperative that we remain attentive and continue to mask, social distance, and not hold large gatherings, and stay home if you are sick, so that we can keep our local businesses open and hang on to the normal we have right now and avoid the actions that would be necessary to combat a resurgence of COVID-19.”
By taking steps to protect yourself and those around you, you can help to fight COVID-19. Residents should also remember that if they are listed as a close contact to a positive or listed as having potentially been part of an outbreak, they will receive a call from the Health Department.
The number of individuals currently considered recovered stands at 91% (745) of the total positive cases reported as recovered, 6.4% (48) reported as recovering at home, and nine individuals currently hospitalized and three total deaths as of the end of day Thursday. Recovered is defined by the CDC as resolution of fever without fever-reducing medications for 24 hours, improvement of respiratory symptoms, and at least 10 days have passed since symptoms first appeared. Residents are encouraged to monitor themselves daily for any of the following symptoms: fever, sore throat, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, loss of taste/smell, extreme fatigue, abdominal discomfort, headaches, and muscle aches. This list is not all inclusive.
Everyone should be aware that COVID-19 testing is available at the Knox Community Health Center and is open to anyone, regardless of symptoms or other criteria, please call the Knox Community Health Center at 309-344-2225 to schedule an appointment. Call early as same day appointments are often available.
Positive cases have been identified geographically throughout Knox County; with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reporting 67.1% of all Knox County cases residing in Galesburg, 9.5% in Knoxville, 3.7% in Abingdon, 2.9% in Dahinda, 1.6% in Wataga, 1.3% in Oneida, 1.2% in Williamsfield, 1% in Yates City, 1% in Rio, 1% in Henderson, .9% in East Galesburg, .8% in Victoria, .8% in Maquon, and 6.7% in the remaining areas of the County. According to IDPH, data shown is >5 cases per zip code which is consistent with Collection, Disclosure, and Confidentiality of Health Statistics (77 Ill. Adm. Code 1005). It should be assumed that COVID-19 exposure can occur in every county in IL. Zip code is zip code of residence, which may not be the location of exposure.
The Knox County Health Department urges all residents, for the health and safety of our community, to continue wearing face-coverings, practice social distancing, and stay home when you are ill. Trusted sources for information on COVID-19 include; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention www.cdc.gov and Illinois Department of Public Health www.dph.illinois.gov. http://gis.ci.galesburg.il.us/COVID , is the official source of information on COVID-19 numbers for Knox County. For general questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931, email dph.sick@illinois.gov or call your Knox County Health Department at 309-344-2224.
***Report Courtesy of the Knox County Health Department***
