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Health Department says health risk to county residents remains low, establishes hotline
The number of COVID-19 cases continues to increase across Illinois yet there have been no positive cases confirmed in Macoupin County, the Macoupin County Public Health Department reported on Tuesday, March 17. The department continued by saying Macoupin County does not have any COVID-19 cases and does not have any Persons Under Investigation before concluding that the health risk to the residents of Macoupin County remains low.
Macoupin County Public Health Department was notified of a known exposure incident in the northern region of the county on Sunday, March 15. Macoupin County Public Health Department staff have notified and are monitoring all people involved who are at risk. The location of the exposure is being disinfected according to Illinois Department of Public Health requirements. Health Department staff continue to work closely with the Illinois Department of Public Health and work on an ongoing basis to conduct surveillance to identify and test Persons Under Investigation for COVID-19.
Public Health Experts are continuously communicating with and educating health care providers and other public health partners across Macoupin County and the State of Illinois about the current COVID-19 public health concern. COVID-19 has been shown to spread from person to person typically this is through the air by coughing and sneezing. Even though there is no current vaccine for COVID-19, the public is urged to be diligent in helping to minimize exposure and to protect yourself and loved ones.
You can do your part by:
- Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water is not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60-95% alcohol.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick with respiratory symptoms. Close contact is defined as at least 6 feet.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash and wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use alcohol-based hand sanitizer with 60-95% alcohol.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.
- Avoid congregating in groups of 10 or more people. The March 16, 2020, Executive Order from the Governor of Illinois mandates that all gatherings in the State of Illinois of 50 or more people are prohibited during the gubernatorial disaster proclamation.
- Most importantly, stay home when you are sick.
Call your healthcare professional if you feel sick with fever, cough or difficulty breathing, and have been in close contact with a person known to have COVID-19 or if you live in or have recently traveled from an area with the ongoing spread of COVID-19. To aid in minimizing exposure, call your healthcare professional before entering their office where other people may become exposed. If you do not have designated healthcare professional, you can call the Macoupin County Public Health Department at 217-854-3692 and ask for the Public Health Nurse. The Macoupin County Public Health Department is prepared to triage Persons Under Investigation (PUI) and offer testing in their vehicle to minimize exposure to COVID-19.
For your convenience, the health department has established a hotline. If you have additional questions regarding COVID-19, call the hotline at 217-313-5078 or you can email your questions to mcphd@mcphd.net. COVID-19 questions can also be directed to the Illinois Department of Public Health Hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or by email at DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV.
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Another major winter storm is forecasted to blanket the BenGil area in heavy rains, flooding and snowfall starting Wednesday night through Thursday.
The mixture of precipitation and rapidly changing weather likely will produce the potential for sudden icing on roads, with high winds leading to blowing snow and reduced visibility.
“The Illinois Department of Transportation’s snow-and-ice teams will be prepared and out in force, but the public needs to be ready for conditions to change quickly and worsen if they are out on the roads,” said Illinois Transportation Secretary Omer Osman. “As always during periods of extreme weather, the safest option is to postpone any unnecessary trips and stay home. If you must travel, prepare for very slow and potentially hazardous conditions. And please slow down around our plows and other emergency vehicles, giving them plenty of room to do their jobs.”
The National Weather Service is predicting a wintry mix of precipitation to start with thunderstorms and heavy rain in much of the state this evening, converting to freezing rain overnight before turning to snow Thursday morning. In addition to localized flooding, ice and sleet accumulations are likely, creating extremely slippery surfaces and slick conditions.
Due to the rainy conditions ahead of temperatures falling overnight, the effectiveness of pretreating and salting surfaces in advance of significant snowfall will be limited. The public should anticipate icy conditions even when roads appear clear and greatly reduce speeds.
“As the Illinois State Police plans to take on the unpredictable Illinois weather, we would like to remind motorists to do their part in keeping the roads a safe place,” said Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly. “ISP, alongside IDOT and other agencies, will be working in hazardous weather conditions. Please remember to slow down, stay vigilant and move over for ANY vehicle on the side of the road.”
Statewide, IDOT has available more than 1,800 trucks and equipment to plow, treat roads and respond to weather emergencies. If you encounter a plow or any maintenance vehicle during your travels, please slow down, increase your following distance and remain patient. Do not attempt to pass – conditions in front of the plow will be worse than behind it.
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Police are investigating the death of a Bunker Hill woman who was found dead at the end of her driveway near the roadway on Monday morning, January 31.
Nancy Blycker, 91, had multiple injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene, according to police. The Macoupin County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call to the 2900 block of Wood Hill Lane around 7:40 a.m. on Monday.
The initial suspicion was homicide, according to a release by the Major Case Squad of Greater St. Louis who said approximately 20 investigators were working the investigation, but the autopsy contradicted that suspicion.
The Major Case Squad said on Tuesday it is “highly unlikely” Blycker’s death was the “result of homicidal means.”
The Major Case Squad turned the case back over to the Macoupin County Sheriff’s Department. The official cause of death is pending further lab analysis.
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The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for the BenGil area, southwestern Illinois, and the St. Louis area.
The warning was issued early Tuesday taking effect at midnight tonight until noon on Thursday, February 3 calling for a “wet, heavy” snow. The forecast also calls for ice prompting a warning about possible power outages.
“All indications continue to point to a disruptive, impactful, and dangerous winter storm impacting the region starting late tonight and lasting through Thursday night,” the National Weather Service said in its Area Forecast Discussion.
The BenGil area is expected to receive heavy mixed precipitation including snow accumulations between 6 and 10 inches, sleet accumulations around three-quarters of an inch, and ice accumulations around two-tenths of an inch. Wind gusts will be as high as 35 mph on Thursday.
The storm is expected to start with rain most of the day today before transitioning into a mixture of freezing rain and/or sleet Tuesday night, then all snow Wednesday morning or as late as Wednesday afternoon continuing until about noon on Thursday.
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