Fourth case of COVID-19 confirmed in Kendall County

UPDATED 2:15 P.M. MONDAY, MARCH 23:

YORKVILLE – A fourth case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in Kendall County, county health officials said.

The Kendall County Health Department said in a Monday news release that the new reported case is a man in his 70s, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the county up to four.

There is no additional information in the news release about whether the man bringing the confirmed case count up to four had a history of recent international travel.

RaeAnn VanGundy, spokeswoman for the Kendall County Health Department, said she's unsure whether there is evidence of a travel history for the most recent confirmed case, but it doesn't mean there hasn't been.

“We stopped saying that because we are finding the majority of them are community spread,” meaning the coronavirus is traveling directly from one person in the community to another, VanGundy said.

VanGundy said it's still unknown which hospital the individual in the most recent case was tested at and previously has said that information likely will not be released in the future because of patient privacy concerns.

VanGundy said she's aware of a lot of people asking about more specific locations within the county in reference to COVID-19 cases but pointed out that the pandemic is now widespread.

“We just have to assume that we just need to take the precautions no matter where we’re at,” like staying at least 6 feet away from others, VanGundy said.

When asked whether there is available data specific to Kendall County about the number of people that have been tested for COVID-19, VanGundy wrote in a separate Monday, March 23 email that the county does not have that data available, as the state controls testing numbers.

"I do not have any data on the number of tests that have been submitted by health care providers in Kendall County," VanGundy wrote in the email. "The only source for that data would be the State of [Illinois]."

According to Illinois state health officials, there have been more than 8,300 people who have been tested for the coronavirus statewide as of 1:53 p.m. Monday, March 23.

County health officials said in the Monday news release that they continue to urge all residents to take precautions to limit the spread of the coronavirus, including following the "stay at home" order that Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker issued last week.

If residents do need to go out to provide an essential service to the community, to purchase necessities or to receive medical care, be sure to keep the recommended distances from others, cover your cough or sneeze and wash your hands frequently, health officials said in the releast. Residents should stay home if they're sick and call a primary care physician, health care facility, urgent care clinic or hospital ahead of arriving if they're exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms.

• This story has been updated to include additional comment from RaeAnn VanGundy, spokeswoman for the Kendall County Health Department, including additional written comments via a separate email.