Four coronavirus deaths reported as most counties in region see cases rise

Sep. 15--Four COVID-19 deaths were reported in west-central Illinois counties during a weekend that saw total coronavirus cases rise in most.

One death was in Greene County and connected to a long-term care facility outbreak, according to Greene County Health Department. There have been four COVID-19 deaths total in the county.

Four new cases were identified Monday, bringing Greene County's total case count to 186 with 156 recoveries, according to the health department.

Late Friday, neighboring Jersey County reported three additional coronavirus deaths, bringing its total fatalities to 12. Jersey County Health Department also saw 20 new cases, 12 of which are part of a long-term care facility outbreak.

Jersey County's total case count was 353, with 229 recoveries.

Pike County reached 100 total positive tests Monday with the diagnoses of three women in their 20s and a man in his 20s. There has been one coronavirus death in the county, according to Pike County Health Department.

Scott County recorded nine new infections since Wednesday, according to Scott County Health Department, bringing its total case count to 62.

The new cases involve a woman in her 20s, two women in their 30s, a woman in her 40s, a man in his 30s, three men in their 40s and a man in his 50s.

In Morgan County, which was added Friday to the state's list of counties at elevated risk of transmission, nine cases were reported from Saturday through Monday: a girl under age 10, two teenage girls, a woman in her 20s, two women in their 50s, two men in their 50s and a woman in her 60s.

All are isolated at home, according to a daily briefing by the Morgan County Department of Public Health, Jacksonville/Morgan County Emergency Management, Memorial Health System, county commissioners and the city of Jacksonville.

The county's total case count is 615, with 541 people released from restrictions. There have been 21 coronavirus deaths in Morgan County.

Three new cases were confirmed Monday in Cass County, which continues to be identified as an area of increased risk. The new diagnoses were in a teenage boy, a woman in her 20s and a man in his 40s.

Cass County's overall case count is 352, with 318 recoveries and 11 deaths.

Total cases in other west-central Illinois counties as of Monday were: 30 in Brown County (up four); 470 in Macoupin County (up 15); 2,142 in Sangamon County (up 25); and 35 in Schuyler County (up three since Wednesday), according to individual county health departments.

Statewide, 1,373 new cases of coronavirus disease and five deaths were reported Monday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

There have been 262,744 cases in Illinois and 8,314 deaths.

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