H-F case rates remain lower than most neighboring communities. State sets new record for daily testing. Region 10 continues to be stable, though the infection rate is higher than Chicago’s. The state announces 20 counties, not including Cook, are at the “warning” level because of increasing infection rates.
Local numbers. Neither Homewood nor Flossmoor has lost any more residents to COVID-19 in the past week. Homewood has had 20 additional positive cases and Flossmoor 10. The villages’ rates of infection are lower than most surrounding communities. Thornton is the lowest with 16.68 cases per 1,000 people. Country Club Hills is the highest, with 29.38 cases per 1,000 people. Homewood’s rate is 19.46 and Flossmoor’s is 16.91.
Homewood:
Cases: 376
Deaths: 33
Case rate: 19.46 per 1,000 people
Case trend: +28% (past 2 weeks compared to previous 2 weeks)
Nursing home cases: 133
Nursing home deaths: 34
Flossmoor
Cases: 160
Deaths: 9
Case rate: 16.91 per 1,000 people
Case trend: -59% (past 2 weeks compared to previous 2 weeks)
Nursing home cases: 12
Nursing home deaths: 6
(Note: Nursing home data comes from IDPH. Village death numbers come from the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. Village case numbers come from the Cook County Department of Public Health. Differences in reporting systems may account for discrepancies.)
Region 10 (includes H-F)
Positive test rate: 6.5 percent
Trend: 4 days of increase
Hospitalizations: 20
Trend: 4 days of increase
(Source: IDPH. Updated Aug. 19)
More counties at warning level. The Illinois Department of Public Health reported on Friday that 20 counties are considered to be at a warning level for COVID-19 infections. A county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators increase. Cook County is not the list, but Will County continues to be in the warning category.
A map and information of each county’s status can be found on the IDPH website at https://www.dph.illinois.gov/countymetrics.
State reaches new level of testing. Testing for COVID-19 has since the beginning of the pandemic been considered a key tool in fighting it. Illinois has continued an upward trajectory of testing numbers. The state first exceeded 40,000 tests in a single day on July 16. On Aug. 19, the state passed the 50,000 mark and has exceeded that number every day since, setting a record of 56,766 tests administered on Saturday.