The Mercer County Health Department (MCHD) today announced two additional residents have tested positive for COVID-19. This brings the total number of residents testing positive since April 2, 2020 to 48 individuals. Today’s cases include a male in his 30s and a female in her 70s
Of the 48 positive cases that Mercer County has had since testing began, as of this date, eleven cases are isolating at home and two cases are hospitalized and being followed by MCHD. All other cases have completed their isolation period set forth by IDPH and are no longer being actively followed by MCHD. Due to Federal privacy restrictions, release of any additional information on cases is prohibited.
Carla Ewing, Administrator states, “We are asking all of our community to practice what we know slows down the advancement of the virus – physical distancing 6 feet, wearing a face covering, washing your hands frequently, minimizing social gatherings and the other guidelines set forth by IDPH and the CDC.”
Public Health Officials work closely with these residents to identify and inform those considered to be close contacts. For COVID-19, a close contact is defined as any individual who was within 6 feet of an infected person for at least 15 minutes starting from 2 days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, 2 days prior to positive specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.