Health District to provide free NARCAN® kits during drive-thru event

CHAMPAIGN - Champaign-Urbana Public Health District will distribute free NARCAN® kits at a drive-thru event on August 30, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. as part of their recognition of International Overdose Awareness Day on August 31. The campaign's goal is to honor the many lives lost to drug overdose by raising awareness about the opioid crisis. CUPHD hopes that by distributing NARCAN® (naloxone) to community members, it will empower and help residents mitigate the impacts of this crisis.

NARCAN®, also known as naloxone, is a medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. It works by binding to the opiate receptors in the brain and blocking the effects of opioids, allowing the individual to restore normal breathing and potentially save their life. NARCAN® is safe to use on someone who is unconscious, making it a crucial tool in overdose response. If a person is administered NARCAN® and is not overdosing on opioids, they will not be harmed.

Last year, CUPHD distributed 440 kits.

Kits can be obtained by driving to the south side of the CUPHD building located at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign. Look for the small shed where staff will be on hand to provide kits and answer questions.

The CUPHD states that opioid overdoses are a serious public health concern. "It is vital to take every opportunity to raise awareness, provide resources, and support those affected by this crisis," the health district said in announcing the upcoming drive. "Participating in initiatives like the NARCAN® distribution drive on International Overdose Awareness Day can save lives and foster a safer and healthier community."

CDC data shows that overdose deaths involving opioids decreased from an estimated 84,181 in 2022 to 81,083 in 2023. Scientists agree that the opioid epidemic started in the late 1990s when opioids were prescribed freely by doctors without concern for their addictive nature. The crisis skyrocketed due to the proliferation of illegal opioids like heroin and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl alongside the already overprescribed volume available in communities nationwide.

By distributing NARCAN® kits for free, CUPHD equips the community with the knowledge and tools needed to respond effectively to opioid overdoses, ensuring that individuals are well-informed, capable advocates who can raise awareness about opioid overdose prevention.


August is National Breastfeeding Month

Newborn and mother resting
Photo: Samuel Lee/Pixabay

by Sentinel News Service
CHAMPAIGN - Every August, communities across the United States come together to celebrate National Breastfeeding Month, a time dedicated to promoting the benefits and importance of breastfeeding. This month-long observance aims to raise awareness, provide education, and encourage support for breastfeeding mothers and their families.

In conjunction with National Breastfeeding Month, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) announced its third annual breastfeeding supplies drive. Building upon their past success the drive will take place during the entire month of August.

Mom holding a baby
Sarah Chai/PEXELS
The donated supplies will be given to parents enrolled in the WIC Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program. This program offers support to expectant and postpartum parents, helping them learn about breastfeeding and overcome any obstacles they may encounter in achieving their individual breastfeeding goals.

The WIC program's mission is to safeguard the health of low-income pregnant women, new mothers, breastfeeding women, infants, and children up to age five who are at nutritional risk. It provides nutritious food to improve diets, offers education on healthy eating and breastfeeding, and connects participants to healthcare services.

National Breastfeeding Month was established in 2011 by the United States Breastfeeding Committee (USBC) to align with World Breastfeeding Week, which takes place during the first week of August. The initiative was created to bring greater attention to breastfeeding as a key component of public health and to advocate for policies that support breastfeeding mothers. The month-long celebration serves as a platform to highlight the critical role that breastfeeding plays in the health and well-being of both mothers and infants.

Breastfeeding provides numerous benefits for both mothers and their babies. For infants, breast milk is a complete source of nutrition that contains antibodies, enzymes, and hormones crucial for their development. It helps protect against infections, reduces the risk of chronic conditions, and promotes a healthy weight. For mothers, breastfeeding can lower the risk of certain cancers, aid in postpartum recovery, and strengthen the bond with their baby. Additionally, breastfeeding has economic benefits, reducing the need for formula and healthcare costs associated with treating illnesses.

Through the breastfeeding supplies drive, CUPHD hopes to support WIC families by providing them with the supplies they need to breastfeed longer to meet their breastfeeding goals and improve their infant's health.

Items needed include nursing pads, pillows, and covers; breast milk storage bags; electric and manual breast pumps; and breast pump accessories. All items must be received new and sealed in their original packaging.

Photo: Brytny.com/Unsplash

National Breastfeeding Month is a vital initiative that brings attention to the importance of breastfeeding for maternal and infant health. By participating in this celebration, individuals and organizations can help create a supportive environment that empowers mothers and promotes the well-being of future generations.

A curated Amazon wish list is available for virtual donations. Donated items will be sent directly to CUPHD to distribute to clients enrolled in the Breastfeeding Peer Counselor program.  Donations from this list can be made year-round. 

Products can also be donated in person at CUPHD, August 1-31, at the WIC intake window inside the CUPHD main lobby.  

Ways to donate:

Online: Amazon wish list
The wish list will remain open year-round, 24/7.

In-person:

  • CUPHD Champaign WIC desk (201 West Kenyon Road, Champaign): Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.—noon, 1:00 p.m.—4:30 p.m.
  • CUPHD Rantoul WIC desk (520 East Wabash Avenue, #2, Rantoul): Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday, 8:30 a.m.—noon, 1:00 p.m.—4:30 p.m.
  • Orchard Downs clinic (2040 South Orchard Street, Unit 2040-A, Urbana): Thursday, 8:30 a.m.—noon, 1:00 p.m.—4:30 p.m.

Urbana Farmers Market WIC booth
Saturday, August 24, 7:00 a.m.—noon
Come celebrate National Breastfeeding Month with breastfeeding-related games, giveaways, information about WIC and breastfeeding laws, and more!


CUPHD Justice Coalition to present panel discussion on Black health, wealth & wellness

CHAMPAIGN - The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District will host a panel discussion on Black Health, Wealth & Wellness on February 22 during Black History Month. The main focus of the conversation will be on the advancement and evolution of Black health, wealth, and wellness within the Champaign-Urbana community.

The CUPHD's Justice Coalition will moderate the discussion. The doors at 201 West Kenyon Road in Champaign will open at 5:30 p.m. for light refreshments, with speakers starting at 6 p.m.

The panel's primary goal is to "provide a space for the community to share information and discuss mutual obstacles."

Attendees are encouraged to park in the north entrance lot and enter the building through the main conference room door.



Read our latest health and medical news

CUPHD offers low-cost radon tests, limited supply available

CHAMPAIGN - Radon, a naturally occurring radioactive gas released into the air from decaying matter in rocks, soil and water, in outdoor air are relatively harmless, radon can accumulate to dangerous levels inside buildings. It cannot be detected by sight, smell or taste by humans. Over time, the radioactive particles from the gas have been shown to increase the risk of lung cancer, especially in non-smokers.

January is National Radon Action Month, and the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD) is encouraging residents to learn more about radon gas and have their homes tested regularly.

CUPHD has home radon test kits, which are reliable and easy to use, for just $7.00, which can be picked up at in Environmental Health Division at 201 W. Kenyon Road in Champaign, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Buyers can also get a free t-shirt is also available with their purchase until they are gone.

For more information on radon and home radon test kits, contact CUPHD at (217) 373-7900 or visit www.c-uphd.org/radon.

Free COVID-19 tests for everyone, new community site opens on campus Monday

URBANA -- Starting Monday, Champaign County residents will be able to take saliva-based COVID-19 test for free at SHIELD Illinois' new location at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s Campus Recreation Center East (CRCE). The free PCR tests will be available to anyone in the community and are being made available through a partnership between the Illinois Department of Public Health and SHIELD Illinois through federal funding.

“Public access to COVID-19 testing is an important mitigation strategy,” said Julie Pryde, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District’s public health administrator. “Sites like this play a vital role in the fight to keep our community safer by minimizing the potential for COVID-19 outbreaks.”

While walk-in testing will be available, appointments can be made online at shieldillinois.com/get-tested. Masks or face coverings must be worn at the testing site.

Testing will occur from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at CRCE, 1102 W. Gregory Drive in Urbana. Free parking is available at metered spaces conveniently marked along Dorner Drive on the south side of the building and the location is on multiple MTD bus routes. Bus schedules can be found on mtd.org. Access to the testing site is through the doors on the east side of the building.

Results from SHIELD Illinois testing are emailed within 24-48 hours and are completely confidential.

Funding from the CARES Act and the American Rescue Plan is being used to provide the free testing to the community to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus and its multiple variants.

“We are grateful to our partners at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the cities of Champaign and Urbana, who have paved the way for this new location,” said SHIELD Illinois Managing Director Ron Watkins. “We have heard from numerous community members about the need for testing in Champaign-Urbana and we are glad to be able to provide this service.”

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign students, faculty, and staff who are required to test weekly will not be allowed to use the new site. Campus employees and students must continue to go to the Illini Union for testing.


CUPHD issues warning concerning rabid bats found in the area

CHAMPAIGN -- The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District alerted the public today that a second bat was discovered and tested positive for rabies. Since the rabies virus can be transmitted to people and pets if they are bitten or scratched by an infected animal, they want to make sure the public is aware of the possible danger in the county.

Public Health officials recommend not killing or releasing bats trapped in your home or office and instead ask that you contact them or your doctor to determine if you have been exposed and the level of treatment you may need.

"If a bat enters your home or work area, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) states, it will need to be captured," said the health department in a news release earlier today. "To capture the bat, try to confine it to a room. If you can do it safely, trap the bat in a box and slide cardboard underneath. Wear leather gloves when doing this and avoid any skin contact with the bat."

The bat will be tested to determine if you or persons with close contact with the animal will possibly require medical care or preventive treatment. If you are afraid to capture the bat, call Champaign County Animal Control for assistance.

For more information on rabies, visit the CDC site at https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html.

The original released statement is below.

Area COVID-19 Dashboard for January 12, 2022

There are currently 3,070 active cases in The Sentinel area as of the latest figures from the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. The total exceeds the previous number by two cases on Sunday for the eight villages plus Urbana in the area we cover.


Active Champaign County Cases:

7,013

Net change in the county: 126



Current local cases 1/12/22
Number in parenthesis indicates new cases since 1/11/22

Ogden • 43 (7)
Royal • 9 (2)
St. Joseph • 236 (41)
Urbana • 2468 (285)
Sidney • 53 (6)
Philo • 65 (7)
Tolono • 146 (14)
Sadorus • 19 (4)
Pesotum • 31 (6)


Total Active Local Cases:

3,070

Net change in local cases: 97



Total Local Confirmed Cases: 18,303

New cases: 372


The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and the Illinois Department of Public Health at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

Area COVID-19 Dashboard for January 8, 2022

In today's Covid news:

The total number of county residents in isolation dropped by 579 is now at 6,090.

In the past 8 days, Champaign County has had 7,082 positive Covid-19 test.

There are currently just 22 out of 150 ICU beds available in Region 6. The region includes Champaign, Clark, Clay, Coles, Crawford, Cumberland, Dewitt, Douglas, Edgar, Effingham, Fayette, Ford, Iroquois, Jasper, Lawrence, Macon, Moultrie, Piatt, Richland, Shelby and Vermillion counties. Ventilator usage is under 50% with 179 of 298 in the region unused at this time.


Active Champaign County Cases:

6,090

Net change in the county: -579



Current local cases 1/8/22
Number in parenthesis indicates new cases since 1/7/22

Ogden • 37 (1)
Royal • 3 (0)
St. Joseph • 190 (15)
Urbana • 2139 (222)
Sidney • 48 (5)
Philo • 59 (5)
Tolono • 140 (10)
Sadorus • 14 (1)
Pesotum • 24 (3)


Total Active Local Cases:

2,654

Net change in local cases: -265



Total Local Confirmed Cases: 16,899

New cases: 262


The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District and the Illinois Department of Public Health at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

Area COVID-19 Dashboard for December 28, 2021


Active Champaign County Cases:

2,985

Net change in the county: 384



Current local cases 12/28/21
Number in parenthesis indicates change over previous report on 12/27/21

Ogden • 23 (6)
Royal • 2 (0)
St. Joseph • 110 (27)
Urbana • 993 (224)
Sidney • 23 (3)
Philo • 23 (6)
Tolono • 69 (13)
Sadorus • 9 (1)
Pesotum • 12 (0)


Total Active Local Cases:

1264

Net change in local cases: 176



Total Local Confirmed Cases: 13,878

New cases: 280


The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

Area COVID-19 Dashboard for December 25, 2021

The number of active Covid-19 cases in Champaign County continues to rise. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District now reports 2,846 positive cases, an increase of 236 over the previous day's total. Of that number, 1,179 of those battling the infection live within The Sentinel's area of coverage.

The 5-day moving average for new positive cases is up by 26 from 115 per day to 141, the highest this month.


Active Champaign County Cases:

2,846

Net change in the county: 236



Current local cases 12/25/21
Number in parenthesis indicates change over previous report on 12/24/21

Ogden • 31 (2)
Royal • 3 (1)
St. Joseph • 105 (21)
Urbana • 894 (145)
Sidney • 30 (2)
Philo • 19 (3)
Tolono • 74 (13)
Sadorus • 11 (2)
Pesotum • 12 (0)


Total Active Local Cases:

1,179

Net change in local cases: 95



Total Local Confirmed Cases: 13,507

New cases: 189


The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

Area Covid-19 Dashboard for December 12, 2021

The number of active local cases of COVID-19 fell for a third straight day from 857 cases down to 804. The number of cases countywide also fell by 85 cases to 1,832.


Active Champaign County Cases:

1,832

Net change in the county: -85



Current local cases 12/12/21
Number in parenthesis indicates change over previous report on 12/11/21

Ogden • 13 (1)
Royal • 5 (0)
St. Joseph • 102 (8)
Urbana • 504 (33)
Sidney • 32 (1)
Philo • 40 (1)
Tolono • 80 (5)
Sadorus • 13 (3)
Pesotum • 15 (0)


Total Active Local Cases:

804

Net change in local cases: -53



Total Local Confirmed Cases: 12,165

Change: 52


The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

Area Covid Dashboard for December 8, 2021


Active Champaign County Cases:

1,766

Net change in the county: 82



Current local cases 12/8/21
Number in parenthesis indicates change over previous report on 12/7/21

Ogden • 14 (0)
Royal • 2 (0)
St. Joseph • 115 (6)
Urbana • 487 (15)
Sidney • 34 (3)
Philo • 45 (1)
Tolono • 76 (1)
Sadorus • 13 (0)
Pesotum • 18 (2)


Total Active Local Cases:

804

Net change in local cases: 32



Total Local Confirmed Cases: 11866

Change: 28


The information on this page is compiled from the latest figures provide by the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District at the time of publishing. Active cases are the number of confirmed cases reported currently in isolation. Local is defined as cases within the nine communities The Sentinel covers.

A new round of COVID-19 vaccinations starting January 19

Champaign County residents 75 years of age or older that did not previously receive a vaccine and people age 65-74 with underlying health conditions can receive a free coronavirus vaccination at an upcoming clinic between January 19 and January 22. The vaccine will be administered by appointment only.

Residents can schedule their time online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b054ca8a82ca5f94-vaccine or call (217) 239-7877. According to the news release below, "individuals may experience a longer wait time" for appointments by phone.


Full release:

The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District (CUPHD), in partnership with Carle Health, OSF HealthCare, Christie Clinic, Promise Healthcare, and the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign will be hosting additional community-based COVID-19 vaccination clinics for Champaign County residents. The upcoming clinics will be held January 19-22, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment only.

Next week’s clinics will serve anyone 75 years of age or older that did not previously receive a vaccine plus is expanding to include individuals age 65-74 with underlying health conditions - cancer, chronic kidney disease, COPD, heart disease, obesity, sickle cell disease, diabetes, smoking, and immune-compromised due to organ transplant.

Written documentation from the individual’s Primary Care Physician will not be required.

The community clinic will be held at the iHotel and Conference Center located at 1900 S. 1st Street, Champaign.

To register, please use one of the following methods:

Preferred method is online at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b054ca8a82ca5f94-vaccine. Scheduling is also available by calling (217) 239-7877 but individuals may experience a longer wait time. Entrance for the clinic is through the east wing of the iHotel and Conference Center. If you do not feel well the day of your appointment, please call to reschedule.

Special notes:

The Kohl’s Plaza vaccination site administered by Carle Health is full for the weeks of January 18th and 25th and is currently not accepting additional appointments. Those eligible will be contacted when additional clinic dates become available.

Please refrain from contacting your healthcare provider to be placed on a wait list if you do not meet the requirements for the current phase.

“We are very excited as we move through this last phase of the pandemic. Vaccine distribution is rapidly changing so we ask everyone to please be patient as we are able to provide clinics and help our community return to normal. We will announce vaccination availability as quickly as possible so continue to watch CUPHD’s website and social media pages for updates,” said Public Health Administrator, Julie Pryde.

Patients will need to wear a face covering, practice social distancing, and plan to allow at least 15 minutes for observation after the vaccination. Please limit the number of individuals in your party that are not receiving the vaccine and wear clothing to allow easy access to the upper portion of the arm for the injection.

The cost of the vaccine is currently being covered by the federal government and most insurance plans cover the cost to deliver the shot. If you have questions about what your personal coverage is, call your health plan provider at the number on the back of your insurance card. It is important to know that no one will be turned away or receive a charge if they do not have health insurance.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has compiled a comprehensive list of frequently asked questions about the COVID-19 vaccination. Information can be found at: http://dph.illinois.gov/covid19/vaccine-faq.

To track the phases and local vaccinations, visit https://www.c-uphd.org/covid-vaccinations.html.

Active COVID cases at 100 or under third consecutive day

While Illinois saw a record 238 deaths from COVID-19 virus on Wednesday, locally for a third consecutive day the number of active cases within The Sentinel area of coverage has remained at 100 or less.

Wednesdays figure from the Illinois Department of Public Health surpassed the high of 191 set back in mid-May. Health officials admitted that the new high could be from delayed reporting of data over the Thanksgiving weekend.

"Today marks a solemn milestone, with 238 lives lost to COVID-19 reported in the last 24 hours," Governor J.B. Pritzker said during his Wednesday coronavirus update. "We'll continue to watch these numbers closely in the coming weeks to have a better picture of our trajectory, but a life lost, reported late, following a holiday, is still a life lost."

As of today the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is reporting the six villages The Sentinel covers has 97 active case, up three from Wednesday's 94.There are 11 active cases in Ogden, 9 in Philo, 2 in Royal, 5 in Sidney, 45 in St. Joseph and Tolono has 25 reported cases.

COVID NEWS

On Tuesday, the CUPHD reported 100 cases, a number our area last witnessed on November 15 when the area went from 69 to 110 cases overnight. The rolling average the last seven days of November was 127 cases.

Active COVID case count rises to 69

The number of active confirmed COVID-19 cases in the area has risen to 69 as of this morning according to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District dashboard. The combined total is an all-time high for the viral infection in the six communities The Sentinel covers.

With the exception of Philo, each of the five other communities saw at least one new positive case in a 24 hour period. The CUPHD currently reports Ogden, St. Joseph and Royal added one additional case in each village. Meanwhile, Sidney added 2 additional cases for a total of five and Tolono's case count is now at 29, up four from 25 on Saturday. There are six active cases in Ogden, 19 in St. Joseph and Royal's new case is the first in several weeks.

The pandemic continues to surge as countywide there are now 818 active confirmed cases and 1,449 additional individuals under quarantine who may have been in contact with an infected individual today. Yesterday, there 749 active cases with 1,166 residents under close contact quarantine.

The Illinois Department of Public Health continues to ask residents of the state to limit their contact with others, wear a mask and wash their hands frequently to help stop the spread of the virus that has claimed 39 lives locally and 10,670 Illinoisans.

Statewide stay-at-home order, not if but when

Repeatedly this week, Governor J.B. Pritzker has put the citizens of Illinois on notice that he may have no choice but to issue a second statewide lockdown if the COVID-19 metrics continue to rise at an alarming rate. It is clearly obvious by the accelerated surge in positive cases he will in all likelihood announce another mandated shelter-in-place order in days ahead.

"The numbers don't lie. If things don't take a turn in the coming days, we will quickly reach the point when some form of a mandatory stay-at-home order will be all that is left," Governor Pritzker said. "With every fiber of my being, I do not want us to get there. But, right now, that seems where we are headed."

Hospitalizations are at an all-time high with cases increasing by 459% since October 1. As of Wednesday night, there were 5,258 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 around the state. Almost 1,000 individuals, 956 were being cared for in ICUs with 438 of them on ventilators.

In a preemptive move to reduce a possible strain on treatment and the spread of COVID-19, the City of Chicago issued its own stay-at-home advisory starting Monday.

The preliminary seven-day statewide test positivity from November 5-11 exceeds the 8% mitigation trigger point established in the governor's Restore Illinois plan which is now at 13.9%.

On Tuesday, as cases in The Sentinel's area of coverage in Champaign County fell to a two-week low of 23, the Illinois Department of Public Health began asking residents to enter a voluntary a quasi-quarantine by working from home if possible and to only go out for essential activities - such as grocery shopping, visiting a pharmacy or getting a COVID-19 test. The state agency also asked people to limit travel especially to areas experiencing high positivity rates and to limit gatherings - even small groups - that mix households for the next three weeks, including through the Thanksgiving holiday.

As of today, there 43 active cases in the communities The Sentinel serves and and another 600 in Champaign County. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is reporting two new additional COVID-19 deaths bringing the total to 39.

The news comes three days after the district agency reported eight deaths between November 5 and 11, including a female and a male patient in their 50s, a female in her 60s, two women in their 70s, two men in their 80s and a 90 year-old male succumbed to the viral infection.

Champaign County, which is in Region 6 in the IDPH COVID-19 Resurgence data tracking, is showing a 7-day rolling average of 2.0. Subtracting out the testing from the University of Illinois' rigorous testing protocols, the county's positivity is at 8.7.

As of Monday only Moultrie County was showing a rolling positivity rate below Champaign's number.

Clark County was at 12.1, Clay 18.1, Coles 12.4, Crawford 9.9, Cumberland 14.7, DeWitt 12.7, Douglas 12.2, Edgar 13.6, Effingham 21.7, Fayette 26.7, Ford 11.6, Iroquois 18.2, Jasper 11.8, Lawrence 11.3, Macon 16, Moultrie 8.6, Piatt 12.6, Richland 16, Shelby 14.2 and Vermilion County was at 12.2 on Monday.

Fayette County record some of the highest single-day positivity in the county with four days between October 30 and November 9 above 30.0.

Last Friday, 15 tests performed in Crawford County yielded seven confirmed cases for the highest single-day positivity of 46.7.

On Tuesday Pritzker asked his constituents to show restraint and do the right thing voluntarily to fight the surge and need for him to issue another shelter-in-place order.

"It's critical to remember that nothing makes a bigger deterrence in this pandemic than when a community decides to protect your own by wearing masks, by avoiding gatherings, by temporarily closing high-risk, high-exposure business until we get to a place where it opens again."

Area COVID cases climb, positives triple in less than a week

Sentinel Coronavirus Update
When it came COVID mitigation, The Sentinel area was looking really good last week. The number of area cases steadily declined in each village to impressive number unlike other rural areas of the state. Last Saturday, there were just 13 active cases total in the six communities that The Sentinel actively covers.

Today, a mere six days later, that number has vaulted to 45 according to the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District data.

County-wide there were an additional 433 new cases confirmed by health officials. Out of the 790,767 test performed Champaign County residents, 6,330 came back positive. As of today there are 506 active cases and 1,540 individuals who have been in contact with an infected individual now in quarantine to avoid the additional spread of infections.

One week increase in COVID-19

The rise in positive cases reflects the overall statewide trajectory occurring statewide and in surrounding neighboring states.

In Governor JB Pritzker's coronavirus briefing yesterday, he said the state is saw a new high in cases with 6,363 reported on Thursday. Records show that the state set a new seven-day average high of 5,043 new cases per day.

"The two highest seven-day average number of cases we reached in one day in the spring was 2,565 in early May. That came down to about 590 in mid-June,” he said. "Today, we are at a new high, a seven-day average of 5,043 new cases per day – closing in on twice what we saw in May."

Yesterday, the seven-day positivity rate for the East Central Illinois region Champaign County is included in the state’s mitigation map (Region 6) increased from 7.9 to 8.1 percent. If the region remains above 8.0 for more than three consecutive days, the area would see increased mitigation requirements from the state. Nearly three-quarters of the state is or will be subject to additional restrictions by Sunday.

Bars 

  • No indoor service 
  • All outside bar service closes at 11:00 p.m. 
  • All bar patrons should be seated at tables outside 
  • No ordering, seating, or congregating at bar (bar stools should be removed)  
  • Tables should be 6 feet apart  
  • No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting 
  • No dancing or standing indoors 
  • Reservations required for each party 
  • No seating of multiple parties at one table 

Restaurants 

  • No indoor dining or bar service 
  • All outdoor dining closes at 11:00 p.m. 
  • Outside dining tables should be 6 feet apart 
  • No standing or congregating indoors or outdoors while waiting for a table or exiting 
  • Reservations required for each party  
  • No seating of multiple parties at one table 

Meetings, Social Events, Gatherings 

  • Limit to lesser of 25 guests or 25 percent of overall room capacity 
  • No party buses 
  • Gaming and Casinos close at 11:00 p.m., are limited to 25 percent capacity, and follow mitigations for bars and restaurants, if applicable 

These mitigations do not currently apply to schools.

Compared to Rantoul, with a population of 12,691 and has recorded 511 positive cases as of today, there have been only 312 cases confirmed among the 11,108 residents that live in six zip codes covered by The Sentinel.

Covid-19 count creeps up slighty in our area

The number of active cases of the Coronavirus in The Sentinel area of coverage has risen over the past week.

The current count by zip code includes two cases in Ogden (61859), St. Joseph (61873) with 15, Sidney (61877) with seven, and Philo (61864) is nursing six cases. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District is reporting five cases in Tolono (61880) and none in Royal (61871).

Out of the 13,018 test performed to date, 251 area residents in the six zip codes covered by The Sentinel have tested positive. The number represents just six percent of the total confirmed cases in Champaign County.

Thanks to the students returning to the University of Illinois campus last month, there 424 active cases in the county, 30 of those are patients from our area.

Currently, there are eight individuals from the county who are hospitalized. The stats do not indicate the home zip codes of those who are undergoing treatment at area hospitals.


Photos this week


The St. Joseph-Ogden soccer team hosted Oakwood-Salt Fork in their home season opener on Monday. After a strong start, the Spartans fell after a strong second-half rally by the Comets, falling 5-1. Here are 33 photos from the game.