Region 3 Above 8% Positivity for Second Day as Region 9 to Enter Restrictions on Halloween

By Jeremy Coumbes on October 28, 2020 at 1:04pm

Another COVID Region in the state will be subject to increased mitigation measures beginning on Saturday, as Region 3 looks to be next in line.

Governor J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Public Health announced today resurgence mitigations will be implemented in Region 9 as the region has now seen a 7-day rolling positivity rate above 8% for the third consecutive day.

Region 9 includes all of Lake and McHenry Counties in the northeast corner of the state. IDPH Director Dr. Ngoze Ezike says with Region 9 being added to the list of regions in mitigation, IDPH is getting closer to the entire state implementing mitigation measures.

Pritzker says beginning on Saturday at 12:01 a.m., public gatherings in Lake and McHenry counties will be reduced to 25 people, and indoor dining and indoor bar service will be temporarily closed – although outdoor service in tents and takeout, delivery and drive through service will remain available.

Region 3 which encompasses the entire WLDS/WEAI listening area is above the warning threshold for the second consecutive day, with a positivity rate of 8.1% as of this morning. If Region 3 is above the 8% threshold, resurgence mitigations could be expected to take effect in the area this weekend.

The announcement comes as IDPH also announced today a total of 6,110 new confirmed cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 51 additional deaths within the last 24 hours.

The seven day statewide positivity rate is now up to 6.7%