Fourth COVID-19 case confirmed in Sangamon County; disaster declared to cut red tape

Mar. 17--The number of confirmed cases of coronovirus, or COVID-19, in Sangamon County has increased to four.

County Administrator Brian McFadden said the fourth case was a person who tested positive in another county and was brought to Sangamon County for treatment. He did not know other details about the person, his or her condition, or in which county they live. He said tracing any contacts for that person may have had before being tested would be something done in their home county.

Sangamon County officials announced Saturday that a 71-year-old woman visiting Springfield from her Florida home tested positive and was in intensive care at Memorial Medical Center. A second person who tested positive is a public official, Springfield Park Board Trustee Lisa Badger, and she went public that she is in isolaton at her home.

Gail O'Neill, director of the Sangamon County Department of Public Health, said a third case, reported Saturday, and the fourth, reported Monday are individuals from other counties. She did not know if they were men or women, or their location or condition.

According to a statement Monday evening from the health department, in conjunction with local medical providers, the county had 17 tests pending and received six negative test results.

Meanwhile, Sangamon County has declared the county a disaster area as a way to streamline the process if people need to be hired or equipment needs to be purchased.

Sangamon County Board Chairman Andy Van Meter signed the disaster declaration Monday to avoid red tape if the county, for example, needs to hire a nurse, McFadden said.

The message to the health department is "whatever you need, go get it, and we'll figure it out later," McFadden said. There was no immediate hiring or purchasing being done that needed the declaration, he said, but Van Meter wanted the county to have the ability to move quickly if hiring or procurement was needed.

Meanwhile, Memorial Health System announced Tuesday that it is offering free MemorialNow virtual care to anyone in central Illinois.

The service, available through the MemorialNow app, provides quick care for minor illnesses and injuries via messaging to nurse practitioners. The app can be downloaded from the Apple Store or Google Play Store, and more information is available at MemorialNow.com.

The normal $40 fee for a virtual visit will be waived for the forseeable future, according to a statement from Memorial Health System. The service is open to any patient regardless of insurance status or whether a patient already uses a Memorial doctor, nurse practitioner or physician assisant.

Jay Roszhart, president of the Memorial Health System ambulatory group, said offering the free virtual visits supports efforts to promote social distancing to curb the spread of COVID-19.

"People in need of treatment for minor illnesses and injuries can avoid a trip to the clinic and access quick, reliable care without leaving home," Roszhart said.

MemorialNow is accessible 24 hours a day. Providers are able to send prescriptions to any local pharmacy, and free delivery is available from select pharmacies.

The Sangamon County Department of Public Health COVID-19 hotline is at 217-321-2606.

Contact Bernard Schoenburg: Bernard.schoenburg@sj-r.com, 788-1540, twitter.com/bschoenburg

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