Lee, Ogle counties at elevated COVID-19 risk as of April 17

Lee and Ogle counties are designated at an elevated risk for COVID-19.

Whiteside and Carroll counties remain at low risk along with most of the state, while Lee and Ogle were upgraded to medium risk across the week.

Whiteside County had 31 cases during the past seven days, according to the most recent information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 data tracker Monday. There were 39 cases last week.

The positivity rate for the last seven days is at 16.47%, up from 5.05% last week. The number of new hospitalizations was not available.

Lee County had nine cases compared to 14 last week and is at a 2.99% positivity rate from 7.79%, and there were three new hospitalizations.

Ogle County had 18 cases across the week compared with 25 the week before with a positivity rate of 6.98%, from 6.28%, and there were five new hospitalizations.

Carroll County reported six cases compared with 10 cases the week before.

The Illinois Department of Public Health announced the CDC is reporting six counties in the state are at an elevated community level for COVID-19, compared with 14 the previous week. Of those, zero counties are at high risk for COVID-19, the same as the week before; and six counties are at medium risk, compared with 14 last week.

“It is great to see COVID-19 community levels remaining low as we enjoy some warmer springtime weather,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a news release Friday. “While President Joe Biden signed a measure to end the national emergency this week, IDPH remains focused on reducing the spread of COVID-19 across Illinois. With the public health emergency and statewide disaster declaration remaining in place until May 11, IDPH is actively working with our local and federal partners to transition our operations and programs for the new normal.”