ROCHELLE –  As cases of the novel Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) rise in the United States, local hospitals, schools and health departments are working together to provide tips and information to stay healthy.

The virus that originated in Wuhan, China, in December of last year, has currently infected more than 89,000 people in 58 countries. The state of Illinois on Monday announced its fourth case of the virus, all of which have been reported in Cook County.

The new case of the virus is the wife of a man diagnosed last week. The previous two cases in Illinois were a married couple who have since fully recovered. The Illinois Department of Public Health wants the public to know the risk of contracting the virus is low and the department is doing everything it can to stay prepared.

“The risk to the communities of Illinois is low,” said Dr. Ngozi Ezike, director of IDPH. “We will continue to work collaboratively with our local health departments and our federal partners to ensure that we’re doing everything we can to be ready for whatever is around the bend.”

Along with the IDPH, the local hospital, schools and health departments are also working hard to keep the public informed and prevent the spread of the virus. Rochelle Township High School is using the motto “Be careful, not overly cautious”.

RTHS is reminding the students and staff of the common-sense practices used to keep individuals from getting sick. The school said in its weekly newsletter that it purchased sanitary wipes and hand sanitizers to have for the classrooms and offices.

While cleaning and disinfecting supplies are crucial in limiting the spread of the virus, communication is just as important in containing it. All organizations on local, state and national levels have been working together to limit the spread.

“The health departments in our region, all across the state and country have been working on COVID-19 since early January,” said Kyle Auman, Ogle County health department public health administrator. “We have been in direct communications with the regional office of education, local emergency managers, schools, the media, local elected officials, other public health partners and our local healthcare partners.

All organizations working on controlling the virus have the same list of actions they are recommending to help control the spread that include: Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth and staying home when sick.

More actions on the list include covering a cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throwing that tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfection frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe and washing hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  

Lastly, staying current on accurate information from reputable sources such as the IDPH and the CDC is also recommended. While this information can come across as alarming, the RCH would like to stress that there are currently no reported cases in Ogle County.

“It is important to note that there are no reported cases in Ogle County,” said Janet Stewart, RCH marketing and public relations coordinator. “We would like to stress our residents to follow the actions listed to continue to limit the spread of the disease.”