Putnam County on COVID warning level

From Nov. 1 to Nov. 8, there were 24 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Putnam County. This brings the total number of Putnam County COVID cases to 131 since the start of the pandemic. There have been no COVID-19-related deaths in Putnam County to date.

On Nov. 6, Illinois Department of Public Health announced that Bureau and Putnam counties were two of 76 counties on the state’s warning level for COVID-19.

A county is considered at the warning level when at least two of the following metrics triggers a warning.

• New cases per 100,000 people. If there are more than 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the county.

• Number of deaths. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly number of deaths increases more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.

• Weekly test positivity. This metric indicates a warning when the seven-day test positivity rate rises above 8%.

• ICU availability. If there are fewer than 20% of intensive care units available in the region, this triggers a warning.

• Weekly emergency department visits. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly percent of COVID-19-like-illness emergency department visits increase by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.

• Weekly hospital admissions. A warning is triggered when the weekly number of hospital admissions for COVID-19-like-illness increases by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.

• Tests performed. This metric is used to provide context and indicate if more testing is needed in the county.

• Clusters. This metric looks at the percent of COVID-19 cases associated with clusters or outbreaks and is used to understand large increase in cases.

The total cases reported for each community since March in Putnam County as of Nov. 6 are: Granville, 57; Hennepin, 22; McNabb, 14; Magnolia, 10; Mark, 6; Putnam, 8; Standard, 8.

New cases in communities with more than six new cases during the week of Oct. 25-31 are Granville with eight case and Hennepin with nine cases.