SIH memos confirm positive COVID-19 cases in Williamson, Jackson Counties - WSIL TV

UPDATED: MARCH 18, 2020 8:35 p.m.

(WSIL) -- Spokesperson Rosslind Rice tells News 3 SIH is deferring all comment at this time to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

IDPH is not commenting on new cases until Thursday.

UPDATED: MARCH 18, 2020 7:15 p.m.

(WSIL) -- Jackson County Board Chairman Keith Larkin says he was briefed about the COVID-19 case in the county late Wednesday afternoon.

"It's not going anywhere for awhile, we're going to have to deal with it," Larkin said. "We have to slow the spread of this and we have to do everything to help out and protect each other."

In a release from the county health department, a woman in her 50s reportedly contracted COVID-19 while traveling in another state. The woman has been quarantined in her home and is not allowed to leave until she is well.

Larkin says he has issued a disaster declaration for the county so that it could track financial damages to businesses and report them to the state in hopes of receiving relief aid.

Curfews or travel bans won't be implemented. "It doesn't have a massive impact on the every day life of the citizens."

Larkin echoed Gov. JB Pritzker's call for residents to take COVID-19 procedures seriously in order to keep the illness from spreading.

"We have to flatten the curve. We have to slow the spread of this," Larkin said. "We have to do everything we can to help out and protect each other."

UPDATED: MARCH 18, 2020 6:25 p.m.

(WSIL) -- Another internal email sent through SIH confirms a second positive case in Jackson County.

WSIL reached out to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) for confirmation and this was their response:

Due to our massive response efforts surrounding COVID-19, we are providing a daily press briefing with the Governor.  Any news cases will be announced at that time.  Our next update is scheduled for tomorrow.  

Thank you.

ORIGINAL STORY

WILLIAMSON CO. (WSIL) -- The first confirmed case of COVID-19 coronavirus in southern Illinois is in Williamson County.

According to internal messages sent to SIH staff, a patient has tested positive after being screened through SIH's 24-hotline and drive-thru clinic.

"The screening and testing process we have in place in our communities is working. I am confident appropriate precautions were taken to minimize the risk of exposure to other patients and staff," states the memo attributed to SIH Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Marci Moore-Connelley.

The communication says staff involved in the care of the patient have been notified, and the person is not being treated at an SIH hospital at this time.

News 3 is working to obtain more details about the case.

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SIH memos confirm positive COVID-19 cases in Williamson, Jackson Counties - WSIL TV
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