Steady climb in COVID cases in Saline, SE Illinois

The Egyptian Health Department was notified on Aug. 31 that 60 more Southeastern Illinois residents have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last 24 hours.

This is on top of 162 new cases that were determined over the weekend and reported out on Monday.

The breakdown of the most recent 60 cases is:

Saline County, 40 new cases. Females with COVID are: 1 under 10; 1 teen; two in their 20s; four in their 30s; two in their 40s; four in their 50s; two in their 70s; one in her 80s and four where the demographics unknown as the case status is in progress. Males newly diagnosed with COVID-19 are: Male: 1 under 10, five teenagers; one in his 20s; one in his 30s; four in their 40s; three in their 50s; one in his 70s; one in his 80s; and two cases where the demographics are unknown.

Gallatin County, three cases. One woman in her 20s and one female whose demographics are unknown; and one man in his 80s.

White County, 17 cases. Among females there is one case in each of the following age groups: teens, 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s, 70s and two females whose demographics are unknown. Among males, there is teen, one man in his 30s, one in his 40s, two in their 50s, one in his 70s, one in his 80s and two whose demographics are unknown.

To date, Saline County has had a total of 3,656 lab confirmed positives, among them 60 people who have died. White County has had 2,408 lab-confirmed positives and 27 deaths, and Gallatin County has had 721 lab-confirmed cases, and four deaths.

The Illinois Department of Public Health, patients' health care providers, and the individuals themselves have all been notified and are monitoring the situation, according to the Egyptian Health Department.

Public health officials are conducting an investigation of these cases by speaking with individuals who are deemed potential close contacts. As is protocol, public health officials may place other individuals on home quarantine if they are determined to have had significant exposure. Such individuals may not by symptomatic, but are quarantined for a period of time which allows symptoms to develop and pass, without posing risk to others.

If you are contacted by public health officials, please respond promptly.