Last week DeWitt County was named to the Illinois Department of Public Health's warning list for COVID due to a recent spike in cases.
The DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department attributes the spike in cases to Labor Day gatherings. Executive Director Dave Remmert says while it sounds alarming the County made the warning list, residents are doing a good job protecting vulnerable populations from this disease as hospitalizations and fatalities are very minimal in the two-county area.
Remmert is encouraged Piatt County saw a similar spike and avoided the IDPH warning and now they are seeing case numbers stabilize again. Last week on Regional Radio News, he discussed the ebb-and-flow nature to the virus and maintains that stance despite the recent spike in cases.
Labor Day gatherings being the most likely source of the spread of this virus locally prompted Remmert to implore the public to avoid large gatherings, especially large gatherings indoors.
Making the warning list alarmed many in the community and Remmert says that is a good thing. He hopes making the warning list will prompt action like more mask-wearing, increased awareness around social distancing, and people avoiding large gatherings.
As contact tracing efforts increase for the local agency, Remmert indicates they were able to hire three additional staff for those efforts.
Last week, testing for DeWitt County dropped from 308 to 214 helping contribute to the spike in positivity rate.
