Kane, DuPage Officials Warn Rising Cases Could Force Restrictions

KANE COUNTY, IL — Health officials in Kane and DuPage counties are uniting in their push to limit the spread of the coronavirus in the area, which makes up Illinois’ West Suburban coronavirus management region.

Leaders of the two counties warned residents they are ready to take action to reduce cases if they continue to trend upward. Those actions could include restricting the size social gatherings, forcing businesses to limit capacities, ending indoor dining, and scaling back operations at high-risk establishments like bars and salons, officials said.

Thousands Take Coronavirus Tests At Mobile Kane County Sites

Both counties were doing well in managing new coronavirus cases in the spring and early summer by adhering to public health guidelines, DuPage County Board Chairman Dan Cronin said.

“However, as these case counts creep up, we need to remind the public that their actions will impact the decisions health leaders make to protect our communities,” Cronin said in a news release. “We each play an important role in this fight.”

Aurora Gets 500K Mask Donation From Willie Wilson Amid Pandemic

Kane County Board Chairman Chris Lauzen also signaled he is open to working with DuPage County officials on new actions to limit the spread of the coronavirus, calling residents’ health and safety “our mutual and top priority.”

“This pandemic is far from over and we must maintain our vigilance and self-discipline, following safety protocols to keep our residents safe from infection,” Lauzen said.

Brewer Living His Dream After Opening Taproom During Pandemic

Both counties are in the warning level based on the number of new cases per 100,000 people. During the first week of August, there were 73 cases per 100,000 in DuPage County and 66 per 100,000 people in Kane County, officials said.

As of Thursday, 9,582 Kane County residents and 11,926 DuPage County residents have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to state data.

Kane County Coronavirus Cases Reach Highest Levels In 2 Months

Officials grouped Kane and DuPage counties together in Illinois’ West Suburban region, or Region 8, when they redrew the state’s coronavirus emergency management regions to better target mitigation efforts.

Under the state's new mitigation plans, regions face new restrictions on businesses and activities if they meet certain statistical thresholds. Indoor dining could be suspended and bars could be forced to close within a region if it records positivity rates of more than 8 percent for three consecutive days.

Paramount Theatre Delays Performances 1 Year Due To Coronavirus

Pritzker warned that state officials would also impose new restrictions if a region reports daily positivity-rate increases seven times within 10 days, along with an increase in hospital admissions due to coronavirus-related symptoms or a drop in capacity in intensive care units.

Region 8 officials have reported positivity-rate increases in two of the past 10 days and growing hospital admissions four times over the same period. As of Thursday, Region 8’s positivity rate stood at 4.6 percent, well under the 8 percent threshold for new restrictions.

REGIONAL NEWS:

• St. Charles Police Warn Residents Of Potential Ruse Scam
• Illinois State Rep. Asks Judge To Jail Gov. Pritzker For Contempt
• Coronavirus Spreading Fastest Outside Chicago, Among Those In 20s
• Coronavirus Cases At 2 Juvenile Detention Centers In St. Charles
• District 203 Opts For Remote Learning To Start School Year