JEFFERSON COUNTY, IL — The Health Department has been notified ofseveral additional positive cases of COVID-19 in Jefferson County residents.

Unrelated to those cases are the following new positive cases all related to one long term care facility in Jefferson County.

The Health Department has been working with this facility for several days as they have tested residents after one was hospitalized earlier in the week and tested positive in the hospital. Employees that had close contact with the first case and those that began showing any symptoms are also being tested as part of this process. The facility has notified all families of the residents that are there as well as all employees. The Health Department has also been working with them to ensure they are taking all proper precautions to prevent further spread.

Jefferson County Health Department continues to investigate each case ensuring the isolation of the positive patient. In addition the Health Department places close contacts that have had exposure to the positive patient on quarantine for a minimum of 14 days. This would allowsymptoms to develop and pass without posing risk to others. If you are contacted by public health officials,please respond promptly.

To date there have been 32 lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Jefferson County. Two of these have resulted in deaths.

Public Health officials expect more positive cases to be confirmed locally. The number of cases can be reduced by adhering to the stay at home order, washing hands frequently, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, and maintaining space of at least six feet from others.

Refer to trusted sources for information including our Facebook page, Illinois Department of Public Health, and CDC.