JEFFERSON COUNTY, IL — The Health Department has been notified of two additional positive cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, a female in her 40s and a female in her 50s, both currently in isolation.

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 allow symptoms 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 87 lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Jefferson County. Eleven of these have resulted in deaths. Forty-one of the positive cases have now been released from isolation. Jefferson County has a total of 523 total negative test results as of this morning.

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.