Randolph County in southwestern Illinois announces first coronavirus case
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A Missouri resident who works in Chester tested positive for COVID-19, according to a news release Friday from the Randolph County Health Department.
The employee of the Gilster Mary-Lee Corporation, a Chester-based food processing company, lives in Perry County, Missouri. Any other workers who came into close contact “have been asked to remain at home in isolation for a period of 14 days and monitor their symptoms,” the release stated.
The Perry County Health Department will monitor the employee. Meanwhile, the company will interview other employees and take their temperatures. Anyone showing symptoms will be asked to stay at home.
“(Gilster Mary-Lee) Corporation is working closely with the Department of Public Health and following all the appropriate next steps to ensure employee and public health,” the release stated.
Randolph County health officials have tested 29 people for COVID-19 so far and all came back negative. It was not immediately clear where the employee was tested for the disease.
Earlier Friday, St. Clair County officials announced that a woman in her 80s had died from the respiratory disease. This was the first COVID-19-related death southwestern Illinois.
Overall, the region has 33 positive cases.
Here are the latest statistics for coronavirus cases as of Friday afternoon in southwestern Illinois:
- St. Clair County - 15, one death.
- Madison County - 8
- Clinton County - 5
- Monroe County - 4
- Randolph County - 0
- Washington County - 1
Statewide, officials reported 3,026 cases and 34 deaths. Previously, the state had 26 deaths. Illinois has tested 21,542 people as of Friday afternoon.
