Two more in DeKalb County dead from COVID-19; CDC reports county has high viral transmission rate

DeKALB – Two more DeKalb County residents, one in their 50s and one in their 60s, have died due to complications from COVID-19, according to health officials Tuesday, bringing the death toll to 139.

The deaths make five in just over a week, marking a noted uptick in fatalities along with a steady increase in viral cases this month.

According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DeKalb County is back in the high community transmission rating. Since Tuesday, the county reports about 265 cases per 100,000 residents, and 13 new hospital admissions. According to the CDC, everyone in DeKalb County should wear masks in public indoor settings.

A total of 44 new virus cases were also reported in DeKalb County Tuesday, and 277 more residents were fully vaccinated. The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported 548 more COVID-19 vaccination boosters were administered to residents.

The new cases bring the total coronavirus case count to 13,428 in the county, according to the DeKalb County Health Department. The death toll sits at 139.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate for Region 1, which runs north to Rockford and west to the Iowa border, is 7.5%. The DeKalb County positivity rate is at 5.7%. Positivity rates are reported with a three-day data lag. Region 1 also reported a seven-day average of 164 COVID-19 patients hospitalized.

Hospitals to the north in Winnebago County, which is in the same health region as DeKalb County and has a 9.3% positivity rolling average, have reported surges. According to the Winnebago County Health Department, hospitals in the north region are overrun with cases, largely among the unvaccinated.

[ How vaccinated is DeKalb County? New ZIP code data breaks it down. ]

According to IDPH data, 117,642 total vaccine doses have been administered to DeKalb County residents and 52,563 residents – or 52.2% of the county’s population of 100,420 according to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data – have been fully vaccinated. As of Tuesday, 11,004 booster shoots have been administered to county residents. The seven-day rolling average of doses administered to county residents is at 525.

[ As local vaccine demand drops, health department shifts gears ]

By the numbers

According to the county health department, there remain three longterm care facilities in outbreak mode, with four additional cases at Willow Crest Nursing Pavilion in Sandwich reported Tuesday.

Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center in DeKalb reports an outbreak of two cases: one employee and one resident.

Willow Crest Nursing Pavilion in Sandwich reports an outbreak of 17 cases of COVID-19: two staff members and 15 residents. The facility reported the deadliest outbreak in a county nursing home in 2020.

[ Inside DeKalb County's deadliest COVID-19 outbreak at Willow Crest Nursing Pavilion ]

Sandwich Rehabilitation and Health Care Center reports five cases: two residents and three employees.

The health department considers a facility in outbreak mode if new virus activity is reportedly linked to the facility within 30 days. If the facility goes 30 days without reporting new activity, it will be taken off the health department’s outbreak website, health officials have said.

The health department does not update long-term care facility numbers if a person has fully recovered. The numbers remain listed in total through the duration of the outbreak.

[ Hesitant about your 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine? Here’s why local health officials say you still need it, how to manage fears ]

Updated vaccination by ZIP code data shows the percentages of residents in DeKalb County ZIP codes who have been fully vaccinated as of Nov. 17. ZIP code population data used by the IDPH used unofficial 2018 census data, including those 12 and older, IDPH spokesperson Melaney Arnold said.

This data is provisional and will be updated every Wednesday, according to the IDPH.

In the 60111 (includes Clare) ZIP code, 92.67% of the population is fully vaccinated. In the 60112 (Cortland) ZIP code, 55.42% is fully vaccinated. In the 60115 (DeKalb) ZIP code, 45.92% is fully vaccinated. In 60135 (Genoa), it’s 56.36%. In 60145 (Kingston), 41.94% is fully vaccinated. In 60146 (Kirkland, Fairdale), 41.66% is fully vaccinated. In 60150 (Malta), 48.11% is fully vaccinated. In 60151 (Maple Park), 54.35% is fully vaccinated. In 60178 (Sycamore), 59.55% is fully vaccinated. In 60520 (Hinckley), 50.5% is fully vaccinated. In 60548 (Sandwich), 49.68% is fully vaccinated; in 60550 (Shabbona), 45.05% is fully vaccinated; in 60552 (Somonauk), 48.33% is fully vaccinated; and in 60556 (Waterman), 48.45% is fully vaccinated.

Of the 44 new virus cases reported Tuesday in DeKalb County, there were nine in residents age 19 or younger, 11 in their 20s, five in their 30s, five in their 40s, nine in their 50s, three in their 60s and two in their 70s.

In total, there have been 2,775 cases in residents age 19 or younger, 3,142 in their 20s, 2,059 in their 30s, 1,757 in their 40s, 1,588 in their 50s, 1,081 in their 60s, 555 in their 70s and 471 in their 80s or older.

Of the 139 deaths reported in DeKalb County, 76 were in residents in their 80s or older, 23 were in their 70s, 24 in their 60s, 10 in their 50s, three in their 40s, one in their 30s, one in their 20s and one infant.

The DeKalb County Health Department does not specify how many COVID-19 cases are linked to the delta or any other virus variant. Testing for variants in positive COVID-19 results is done randomly and at the state level, according to local health officials.

According to DeKalb County data most recently updated as of Tuesday, there have been between 5,716 and 5,720 cases in DeKalb. Other cases include 2,681 and 2,685 in Sycamore, 1,166 and 1,170 in Sandwich and Plano (listed as one region on the site), 1,026 and 1,030 in Genoa, 296 and 300 in Kingston, 626 and 630 in Cortland, 341 and 345 in Hinckley, 336 and 340 in Kirkland, 271 and 275 in Somonauk, 186 and 190 in Waterman, 181 and 185 in Malta, 151 and 155 in Shabbona, 111 and 115 in Maple Park, 36 and 40 in Earlville, 26 and 30 in Clare, 11 and 15 in Leland, 16 to 20 in Esmond, and 11 and 15 in Lee. Hampshire, Marengo and Rochelle each reported between one and five cases.

The IDPH reported that 1,779,842 people in Illinois have tested positive for COVID-19, while 26,294 people have died statewide. The department reported that 38,388,520 tests have been administered to date.

According to testing and recovery data released by the county every Friday, 12,403 DeKalb County residents have fully recovered and 241,890 tests of county residents have been completed as of Nov. 19.