MT. VERNON — Nine new confirmed cases of COVID-19 were confirmed by the Jefferson County Health Department Friday.

A female under 13, a male in his 30’s, three females in their 30’s, 2 males in their 40’s, a female in her 40’s, and a female in her 60’s all tested positive for the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours in Jefferson County.

There are now 22 active cases of COVID-19 in Jefferson County that are currently in isolation, and 161 cases of the coronavirus have been confirmed in the county since the beginning of the pandemic.

If you test positive or are a close contact of a positive, you will be contacted by the Health Department and placed on isolation or quarantine. This is to help prevent the spread, so it is important to answer your phone and adhere to the isolation and quarantine by staying home and away from others.

Statewide Friday, 1,532 new confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus were announced by the Illinois Department of Public Health, including 19 additional deaths. IDPH is reporting about 168,500 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since the pandemic began, and 7,385 Illinoisans have died of the virus.