More than 50 Illinois counties are at medium or high-risk level for COVID19 hospitalizations

Illinois (KBSI) –The Illinois Department of Public Health says upper raspatory viruses and covid cases are on the rise.

Residents in Illinois are now able to view raspatory illness updates by region through a new dashboard system.

The system will provide the public with access to the latest data on hospitalizations, lab results and positive tests is now available.  

Arti Barnes is the Chief Medical Officer for the Illinois Department of Public Health, and she says the public should be aware of the rising cases they are seeing in raspatory viruses.

“A regional breakdown where people can go and see which regional area they belong to and what’s going on with raspatory viruses in those regions.”  

The online system provides updates for not only covid cases but a number of different raspatory illnesses so the public can see what is affecting their particular area.

It also tracks the number of deaths associated with a virus. Half of the Illinois counties are now at a medium or high level for covid 19 hospitalizations, and Barnes says right now is the time to use precaution. 

 “What I do want the public to do is when you see the number of infections and hospitalizations and emergency room visits are rising and rising this is the time to take precaution and to protect yourself in whatever way you feel comfortable protecting yourself,” says Barnes.

 Washing your hands, wearing a mask, social distancing, and just taking extra precautions that you’re comfortable with can all help keep you safe. 

To check the data base for your region you can got to the Illinois Department of Public Healths website and click on the surveillance report dashboard, its updated once a week. 

Illinois also offers free vaccines through a bridge access program.