The first case of COVID-19 in Woodford County has been confirmed by Gov. JB Pritzker on Saturday during his daily briefs.
The unnamed patient, who’s in his 70s, was tested on Friday and the result comes out as positive.
“As we expected, we are beginning to identify cases of COVID-19 outside of the Chicago area,” Pritzker said. “Over the past several days, we have announced aggressive measures to reduce and slow the spread of the virus in Illinois. These are not easy decisions to make and we are not taking them lightly, but we believe these actions will help limit the spread of the virus in our communities and keep our residents safe.”
As of Saturday afternoon, the total case counts in Illinois is now 64, as 18 more confirmed cases were announced since Friday. In addition to cases in Cumberland, DuPage, St. Clair and Woodford counties, there are seven new cases in Chicago, four in suburban Cook, one in Kane, and one in Lake counties.
During Pritzker’s briefs on Saturday, he emphasized the importance that young, healthy individuals should maintain social distance considering they can still contribute to the spreading of the disease.
Unless it’s a dire situation, individuals with questionable symptoms should call their health provider at home, instead of visiting the emergency room, government officials emphasized during the briefing on Saturday.
Public health officials are still investigating the travel history of these individuals and any potential contact with a known COVID-19 case. Public health officials will identify and contact people who are considered close contacts of these cases.
According to Prizker, Illinois still plans to hold the primary elections on Tuesday.
