The Illinois Department of Public Health is asking for Illinoisans to limit their travel and gatherings over the next 30 days, right in the heart of the holiday season.

With that in mind, DeWitt/Piatt Bi-County Health Department Director Dave Remmert is indicating there are a number of COVID outbreaks and quarantined individuals lately stemming from large gatherings of people. 

Remmert indicates COVID fatalities in the health department's two county jurisdiction have been mostly in older populations. 

As the world anticipates a vaccine later this year or early next, Remmert indicates they are now beginning to work through a vaccination plan and working on who will get vaccinated first.

IDPH on Saturday reported 11,028 new or probable coronavirus cases and 166 deaths. Illinois hospitals said they had 5,415 patients with COVID-19 on Friday night, including 9% on ventilators.