Union County rated at medium community level for COVID-19

The Illinois Department of Public Health, IDPH, on Friday, Aug. 12, reported 26,462 new confirmed and probable cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 123 deaths since Aug. 5.

According to the CDC, 42 counties were rated at high community level for COVID-19. 

An additional 48 counties in Illinois were rated at medium community level.

Union County was rated at a medium community level. The county had been at a high community level for the past several weeks. 

Alexander, Pulaski, Hardin and Pope counties also were rated at a medium community level.

Jackson, Williamson, Johnson and Massac counties were rated at a high community level.

Union, Alexander, Hardin, Pope, Pulaski, Johnson and Massac counties are served by Southern 7 Health Department.

“It’s wonderful to see the majority of the Southern 7 counties drop a level,” Southern 7 Health Department community outreach coordinator Shawnna Rhine said in a news release.

“This means our local hospitals are seeing a decrease in COVID-19 hospitalizations, which allows them to be able to provide other forms of care more effectively. 

“We truly appreciate everyone doing their part to keep our communities healthy.”

As of Friday, IDPH was reporting a total of 3,620,877 cases, including 34,539 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.

As of Thursday night, Aug. 11, 1,471 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19.  Of those, 181 patients were in the ICU and 67 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.  

Of Illinois’ total population, more than 77 percent had received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 69 percent of Illinois’ total population was fully vaccinated, and more than 54 percent of the vaccinated population had received an initial booster according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All data are provisional and are subject to change.