Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Lake County, Illinois Information

The Lake County Health Department is closely monitoring a fast-changing outbreak of a novel (new) coronavirus (COVID-19) first identified in the city of Wuhan, China. Our priority is the health and safety of our residents, and we continue to use every available resource to prepare our communities for the spread of COVID-19.

Lake County Cases of COVID-19

As of March 28, 2020 at 1:15 p.m.:
264 cases

Case counts will be updated daily.

On March 27, 2020, Lake County officials announced that the first two Lake County residents have died from complications of COVID-19. Learn more. 

On March 11, 2020, a Lake County resident tested positive at the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) laboratory for coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This was the first case of COVID-19 in Lake County.

We are expecting to see a significant increase in the number of COVID-19 cases in Lake County.

As reported, we have identified community transmission, which is when a case cannot be linked to travel or close contact with a known COVID-19 case. Our preliminary findings lead us to believe that there is sustained community transmission. 

For the most current status of the COVID-19 outbreak, please visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 and Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH): Coronavirus websites.

Lake County COVID-19 Dashboard

The Lake County Health Department has developed a dashboard to show the total number of people in Lake County who have tested positive for COVID-19, and included a map that shows the distribution of reported cases by municipality.  The dashboard will be updated daily.

Note: The dashboard is currently best viewed on a computer and is not available to view on Internet Explorer. For the best viewing experience, please try a different browser.

View the dashboard

Lake County, IL

Helpful Resources

COVID-19 Updates
Find the most recent updates on the COVID-19 situation in Lake County.


VIEW UPDATES

What You Need to Do
Learn "everyday preventive actions" to protect yourself and your community.


PREPARE AND TAKE ACTION

How to Get Help
Find information and resources to help yourself and your family during this unprecedented time.

FIND HELP

How You Can Help
Learn ways you can make a difference as we respond to COVID-19 in our community.

DONATE AND VOLUNTEER

Information for Specific Groups
Find information and resources for your community and/or organization to prepare and take action.

FIND INFO AND RESOURCES

COVID-19 FAQs
Find answers to questions you have about COVID-19.


VIEW FAQs

Symptoms of COVID-19

Important

Older adults and people who have severe underlying medical conditions like heart or lung disease or diabetes seem to be at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19 illness. Learn more.

Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed COVID-19 cases.

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.

Fever

Fever
Cough

Cough
Shortness of Breath

Shortness of Breath
Checkbox

Coronavirus Self-Checker: The CDC developed a tool to help you make decisions about seeking appropriate medical care. 

Use the Coronavirus Self-Checker

This system is not intended for the diagnosis or treatment of disease or other conditions, including COVID-19. This system is intended only for people who are currently located in the United States.

What You Need to Do 

Protect yourself and your community from getting and spreading respiratory illnesses like coronavirus disease 2019. Everyone has a role to play in getting ready and staying healthy.

We encourage residents to take “everyday preventive actions” to prevent the spread of illness and to keep our communities healthy.

Practice Social Distancing

Social distancing is a set of actions you can take to avoid close contact with others to prevent the spread of illnesses like COVID‐19.

  • Stay home as much as possible. 
  • If gatherings are necessary, limit the number of people to 10. 
  • Call to check on family, neighbors, and older adults instead of visiting. 
  • Check with your healthcare provider about telehealth options. 

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or because you have a serious long-term health problem, please take extra actions to reduce your risk of getting sick. Learn more.

If You Are Feeling Sick

Stay home. If you develop a fever and symptoms of respiratory illness, such as cough or shortness of breath, stay home. Distance yourself from others in the household and if possible, stay in your own bedroom and use your own bathroom. If your symptoms worsen, call your healthcare provider.

Do not walk into a healthcare facility, urgent care clinic, or hospital before calling. Discuss your symptoms with your doctor. If your doctor believes that you need to be tested for COVID-19, your doctor can refer you to a testing site. 

If you do not have a primary care provider, please contact the Lake County Health Department at (847) 377-8800.

Phone

Call 911 if you have a medical emergency: Notify the operator that you have or think you might have COVID-19. If possible, put on a facemask before medical help arrives.

Practice the 3 C’s - Clean, Cover, Contain

Clean

Clean

  • Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
  • Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces and objects.
Cover

Cover

  • Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash. 
  • If no tissue is available, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, not your hands.
Contain

Contain

  • Stay home when you are sick, except to get medical care.
  • Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

Implement Mitigation Strategies in Your Community

The CDC’s "All Community Approach" mitigation strategy is focused on slowing the transmission of COVID-19 and reducing illness and death while minimizing social and economic impacts. 

See the Actions for Protecting Communities from COVID-19 guide for more information.

Who to contact if you have general questions

Illinois COVID-19 Hotline
Please call the Illinois COVID-19 hotline via phone 1-800-889-3931 or email DPH.SICK@ILLINOIS.GOV. 

Lake County COVID-19 Questions
Lake County will be posting a weekly video featuring the top 10 questions on COVID-19 pertaining to our community. Submit your questions by emailing COVID19@lakecountyil.gov with the subject line "COVID-19 Video Question."

Note: The Health Department cannot offer medical advice or answer questions related to COVID-19 cases through this service. If you have personal medical questions, please contact your healthcare provider. This email is not monitored 24/7.

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update Weekly Newsletter

Sign up to receive weekly updates from the Lake County Health Department. Encourage others to sign up at http://bit.ly/lccovid-19.

Twitter Feed