'Dramatic Increase' Of Coronavirus Cases At Silver Cross Hospital

NEW LENOX, IL — Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox has seen a "dramatic increase" in confirmed cases of the new coronavirus in just 24 hours. There are now 40 cases of COVID-19 at the hospital, when there were only 24 as of Tuesday, according to a hospital spokeswoman.

Another 28 patients are under investigation for the virus, Debra Robbins said in a statement, making the total number of COVID-19 patients at Silver Cross Hospital 68. On March 27, the hospital reported only six patients dealing with the coronavirus.

All 68 patients are currently in isolated rooms within the hospital.

"When we built the new Silver Cross Hospital in 2012, we took extraordinary measures to create two entire patient care units that could be converted to all negative pressure isolation rooms if necessary," Robbins said in an email. "These rooms are now available to COVID-19 patients or persons under investigation at Silver Cross."

Alongside the Illinois Emergency Management Agency, the hospital has also preemptively created a tented care area outside with emergency cots in the event patient numbers keep rising.

"Since the onset of the COVID-19 situation, our occupancy rate is lower since we have canceled all elective surgeries and services," Robbins said. "That has freed up a considerable amount of capacity, which we continue to monitor daily."

In addition, the hospital is complying with a state order to treat two patients with COVID-19 from the Stateville Correctional Center.

"I am in constant contact with my colleagues at Amita Saint Joseph Medical Center and working with them and Stateville to direct patients where there is capacity," Silver Cross Hospital Chief Medical Officer Christopher Udovich said.

Illinois currently has 6,980 confirmed coronavirus cases, including 141 deaths, across 56 counties, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.