Public health officials are identifying and investigating all who’ve been in contact with a patient being treated for coronavirus at Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital in Barrington. One of the first two people outside of Cook County testing positive in Illinois, the patient at Good Shepherd Hospital has no history of travel to an affected area and no connection to a known case of COVID-19, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
The Lake and McHenry County Scanner reports the patient in Barrington is a 19-year-old who initially arrived at Northwestern Medicine Hospital in McHenry Thursday and tested positive for coronavirus. He was then transferred to Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital to be kept in isolation in one of their negative pressure rooms, according to this report.
An Advocate Aurora Health spokesperson says the patient at Good Shepherd is doing well. “Our hospital is currently caring for a patient with Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19). The patient is in stable condition and is being treated in isolation in accordance with our strong infection prevention protocols.”
“As this virus continues to spread throughout our country and our state, we are prepared to provide care while maintaining a safe facility for our team members and visitors,” the spokesperson says. “Preparing for potential epidemics and pandemics is not new and our expert infection preventionists, physicians and nurses are trained and ready for this. We continue to follow guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and work closely with local and state health agencies.”
The patient at Good Shepherd is one of eight new cases announced by state health officials Tuesday, bringing the total number of cases in Illinois to 19. The McHenry County teen plus a Kane County woman in her 60’s are the first two confirmed cases of coronavirus outside of Cook County. Public health officials are still investigating the travel history of these individuals and any potential contact with a known COVID-19 case.
The Lake County Health Department reports that, as of March 10, 2020, no Lake County residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
To minimize risk of spread, Illinois’ Department of Public Health Recommends:
- Everyone: Use the same daily health precautions you would for flu including washing your hands frequently using soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, covering your cough and sneeze, and staying home when sick.
- Health care: Screen patients and visitors for symptoms of respiratory illness such as fever, cough, and difficulty breathing; wear proper personal protective gear such as gowns and masks when needed, and have employees stay home when sick.
- Day cares, schools, universities: Review emergency plans, absenteeism policies, and cleaning procedures; identify strategies for alternative learning mechanisms such as on-line programs; and consider postponing or cancelling student exchange programs.
- Businesses: Review emergency and continuity of operation plans, revisit sick leave policies, and assess schedule flexibility.
- Community and faith organizations: Review emergency plans and communicate with community members if events and services are changed, postponed, or cancelled.
For more information about keeping our homes, schools, workplaces & community safe, Illinois Department of Public Health Officials recommend we visit Preventing COVID-19 Spread in Communities. For general questions about COVID-19, call the hotline at 1-800-889-3931 or email dph.sick@illinois.gov.
Flu season restrictions are currently in place for visitors to Good Shepherd Hospital:
- Visitors under the age of 18 will not be allowed in any inpatient areas (except the Emergency Department) until further notice. Some exceptions will be made on a case-by-case basis (i.e., end-of-life situations).
- Only 2 visitors will be allowed in any patient room at a time.
- Those experiencing flu-like symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue, must refrain from visiting patients.
A post on Advocate Health Care’s Facebook page says, “Those who suspect they’ve been exposed to COVID-19 but are not showing symptoms are being asked to isolate themselves rather than visiting an emergency room. In an interview with WGN-TV on Monday, VP of Medical Management for Advocate Medical Group, Dr. Chintan Mistry discussed self-quarantining, who qualifies and how to do it.”
Located at 450 W. Highway 22 in Barrington, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital is one of 12 hospitals that are part of Advocate Aurora Health, the 10th largest not-for-profit, integrated health system in the United States. With 176 beds, Good Shepherd Hospital is the workplace of 1,590 team members including 530 nurses and 770 physicians in 62 specialities. In 2017, Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital completed a four-year modernization project to ensure health care delivery remains outstanding and attuned to the evolving needs of the community. Learn more at AdvocateHealth.com/gshp.
