Lee, Ogle counties remain at elevated risk for COVID-19 spread

Lee and Ogle counties remain at medium risk of coronavirus spread, and Whiteside and Carroll counties are designated low risk.

Whiteside County had 58 cases during the past seven days, according to the most recent information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 data tracker Monday. There were 58 cases last week.

The positivity rate for the last seven days is at 1.9%, up from 1.85% last week, and there was one new hospitalization.

Lee County had 17 cases compared to 15 last week and is at a 5.92% positivity rate, up from 4.59%, and there were three new hospitalizations.

Ogle County had 38 cases across the week compared with 30 the week before with a positivity rate of 13.37%, up from 6.98%, and there were five new hospitalizations.

Carroll County reported 15 cases compared with nine cases the week before.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced the CDC is reporting 13 counties in the state are at an elevated community level for COVID-19, compared with 12 the previous week. Of those, zero counties are at high risk for COVID-19, the same as the week before; and 13 counties are at medium risk, compared with 12 last week.

“I am once again pleased to see COVID-19 community levels remain relatively low,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a news release. “As we enter the spring season, I encourage Illinois residents to discuss their risk for serious illness with their medical provider and perform safe public health practices to protect themselves and their loved ones.”