Illinois Department of Public Health announced the first resident at a long term care facility home in Illinois on Sunday. Today after aggressive testing at the facility, an additional 21 cases were confirmed at a Willowbrook Nursing Home.
Seventeen residents of the nursing home tested positive for the disease along with four staff members of the care facility.
“Residents in nursing homes are our most vulnerable population and we are doing everything we can to protect them. We may see cases in other long-term care facilities, which is why it is so important that we all do our part to reduce possible exposure in the community to those who go in and out of these facilities as they provide care to resident.” said IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike.
Following the announcement, IDPH issued updated guidance for nursing homes state wide in Illinois today, including:
• Restrict all visitation except for certain
compassionate care situations, such as end of life residents
• Restrict all volunteers and non-essential health care personnel (e.g.,
barbers)
• Cancel all group activities and communal dining
• Implement active screening of residents and health care personnel for
fever and respiratory symptoms
Additional guidance for long-term care facilities is on the IDPH website.
