JEFFERSON COUNTY — The Jefferson County Health Department has been notified of the death of a Jefferson County resident due to COVID-19. A male in his 60s who has been hospitalized in Jefferson County since his diagnosis on 04-05-2020 passed away yesterday.

Jefferson County Health Department has also been notified of 1 additional positive case of COVID-19 in a Jefferson County resident.

• Female in her 50s in isolation at home

The health department continues to investigate each case ensuring the isolation of the positive patient. In addition the health department places close contacts that have had exposure to the positive patient on quarantine for a minimum of 14 days. This would allow symptoms to develop and pass without posing risk to others. If you are contacted by public health officials, please respond promptly.

To date there have been 13 lab-confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 in Jefferson County. Two of these have resulted in deaths (one of which was from Texas but was hospitalized and died here in Jefferson County).

Public Health officials expect more positive cases to be confirmed locally. The number of cases can be reduced by adhering to the stay at home order, washing hands frequently, disinfecting commonly touched surfaces, and maintaining space of at least six feet from others.

Refer to trusted sources for information including our Facebook page, Illinois Department of Public Health, and CDC.