Another COVID-19 death, nearly 140 new cases reported in DeKalb County over long weekend

Editor’s note: COVID-19 data reported Monday includes cases and numbers identified from midday Nov. 24 through noon Nov. 29, since the DeKalb County Health Department did not publish new data during the Thanksgiving holiday.

DeKALB – Another DeKalb County resident in their 50s died from complications because of COVID-19 over the long holiday weekend, according to the DeKalb County Health Department on Monday, bringing the death toll to 141.

It’s the seventh COVID-19 death reported this month. There also was one death reportedly linked to Sandwich Rehabilitation & Health Care Center, although it’s unclear whether that is the resident in their 50s, and if it was a center employee or resident. The death is the first reported at Sandwich Rehab since the pandemic began.

There also were 139 new virus cases identified in DeKalb County since midday Nov. 24 through Monday.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, DeKalb County is back in the high community transmission rating. As of Monday, the county reports about 195 cases per 100,000 residents, and 14 new hospital admissions. According to the CDC, everyone in DeKalb County should wear masks in public indoor settings.

There also were 131 more residents who became fully vaccinated over the long weekend, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health, which also reported 862 more COVID-19 vaccination booster shots were administered to residents.

The new cases bring the total coronavirus case count to 13,644 in the county, according to the DeKalb County Health Department.

The seven-day rolling positivity rate for Region 1, which runs north to Rockford and west to the Iowa border, is 8.5%. The DeKalb County positivity rate is at 6.9%. Positivity rates are reported with a three-day data lag. Region 1 also reported a seven-day average of 194 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% 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, 119,385 total vaccine doses have been administered to DeKalb County residents and 52,819 residents – 52.5% of the county’s population of 100,420 according to 2020 U.S. Census Bureau data – have been fully vaccinated. As of Monday, 12,176 booster shoots have been administered to county residents. The seven-day rolling average of doses administered to county residents is 326.

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

By the numbers

According to the county health department, there remain three long-term care facilities in outbreak mode, with six new cases at Willow Crest Nursing Pavilion in Sandwich, and one at Oak Crest Retirement Center over the weekend.

Willow Crest reports an outbreak of 37 total cases of COVID-19: seven staff members and 30 residents. The facility reported the deadliest outbreak in a county nursing home in 2020. As of Nov. 14, 78.6% of Willow Crest staff are fully vaccinated, as are 80.4% of the residents, according to the IDPH.

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

Oak Crest DeKalb Area Retirement Center in DeKalb reports an outbreak of three cases: two employees and one resident. According to the IDPH, 97.12% of Oak Crest employees are fully vaccinated, as are 99.6% of residents.

Sandwich Rehabilitation and Health Care Center reports five cases: two residents and three employees, and one death. According to IDPH, Sandwich Rehab reports 74.42% of its employees are fully vaccinated, as are 86.96% of residents.

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. 24. 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, 94% of the population is fully vaccinated (100% of residents have had at least one dose). In the 60112 (Cortland) ZIP code, 55.9% is fully vaccinated. In the 60115 (DeKalb) ZIP code, 46.3% is fully vaccinated. In 60135 (Genoa), it’s 56.7%. In 60145 (Kingston), 42% is fully vaccinated. In 60146 (Kirkland, Fairdale), 41.9% is fully vaccinated. In 60150 (Malta), 48.5% is fully vaccinated. In 60151 (Maple Park), 54.4% is fully vaccinated. In 60178 (Sycamore), 59.9% is fully vaccinated. In 60520 (Hinckley), 51% is fully vaccinated. In 60548 (Sandwich), 50.9% is fully vaccinated; in 60550 (Shabbona), 47.2% is fully vaccinated; in 60552 (Somonauk), 48.9% is fully vaccinated; and in 60556 (Waterman), 48.7% is fully vaccinated.

Of the 139 new virus cases reported over the holiday weekend in DeKalb County, there were 33 in residents age 19 or younger, 16 in their 20s, 22 in their 30s, 26 in their 40s, 13 in their 50s, 15 in their 60s and 13 in their 70s and one in their 80s or older.

In total, there have been 2,833 cases in residents age 19 or younger, 3,168 in their 20s, 2,096 in their 30s, 1,786 in their 40s, 1,609 in their 50s, 1,109 in their 60s, 570 in their 70s and 473 in their 80s or older.

Of the 141 deaths reported in DeKalb County, 76 were in residents in their 80s or older, 23 were in their 70s, 24 in their 60s, 12 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 Monday, there have been between 5,846 and 5,850 cases in DeKalb. Other cases include 2,766 and 2,770 in Sycamore, 1,181 and 1,185 in Sandwich and Plano (listed as one region on the site), 1,081 and 1,085 in Genoa, 311 and 315 in Kingston, 646 and 650 in Cortland, 361 and 365 in Hinckley, 351 and 355 in Kirkland, 276 and 280 in Somonauk, 196 and 200 in Waterman, 186 and 190 in Malta, 156 and 160 in Shabbona, 116 and 120 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 1,804,161 people in Illinois have tested positive for COVID-19, while 26,391 people have died statewide. The department reported that 38,990,369 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 had been completed as of Nov. 19.