Youth sports cited as one of major factors in COVID-19 spike in Adams County, IL

[The Man In Blue]

The Illinois Department of Public Health has issued "warning" status for four counties in Illinois, one of which being rural Adams County. Adams County's largest (and only) city is Quincy, which is home to about 40,000 people. Quincy is uniquely positioned on the western border of Illinois and is just across the river from Missouri and very close to Iowa. It serves as a regional hub.

I tried searching local media to see if there was a specific incident pointed to, but I'm not finding anything specific. I'm assuming it is "gatherings in general" that they are attributing to sporting events. Each county had a variety of factors listed, youth sports was not listed in the other counties' factors.

State continues COVID-19 warning for Adams County

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) reported Friday that Adams County was one of four counties considered to be at a warning level for COVID-19.

wgem.com

Business and risky behavior
IDPH officials stated Friday that Adams County has seen outbreaks associated with business and risky behavior.

IDPH stated that outbreaks in Adams County had come from larger social events, health care exposure, travel to hotspots including those in neighboring Missouri and Iowa, places of worship and youth sports.

IDPH officials stated a county enters a warning level when two or more COVID-19 risk indicators that measure the amount of COVID-19 increase.

IDPH said it uses numerous indicators when determining if a county is experiencing stable COVID-19 activity, or if there are warning signs of increased COVID-19 risk in the county.

• New cases per 100,000 people. If there are 50 or more new cases per 100,000 people in the county, this triggers a warning.
• Number of deaths. This metric indicates a warning when the number of deaths increases more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Weekly test positivity. This metric indicates a warning when the 7-day test positivity rate rises above 8%.
• ICU availability. If there are fewer than 20% of intensive care units available in the region, this triggers a warning.
• Weekly emergency department visits. This metric indicates a warning when the weekly percent of COVID-19-like-illness emergency department visits increase by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Weekly hospital admissions. A warning is triggered when the weekly number of hospital admissions for COVID-19-like-illness increases by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks.
• Tests perform. This metric is used to provide context and indicate if more testing is needed in the county.
• Clusters. This metric looks at the percent of COVID-19 cases associated with clusters or outbreaks and is used to understand large increase in cases.

IDPH stated these metrics are intended to be used for local level awareness to help local leaders, businesses, local health departments, and the public make informed decisions about personal and family gatherings, as well as what activities they choose to do. The metrics are updated weekly, from the Sunday-Saturday of the prior week.

Other Illinois counties considered to be at a warning level are Lasalle, Peoria, and Randolph.

New local cases Friday
The Adams County Health Department reported twelve new test-positive cases on Friday bringing the total number of cases to 305, with 207 of those cases active.

Local health officials also reported Friday that the 7-day positivity rate had risen to 4.2%. The 7-day positivity rate is the percentage of tests given that returned positive in the last 7 days.

Friday Adams County reported 14,842 confirmed negative tests have been given, 11 current hospitalizations, and one death.

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From the IDPH website https://www.dph.illinois.gov/news/four-illinois-counties-warning-level-coronavirus-disease

These counties saw outbreaks associated with business and risky behavior, including:

Adams County: larger social events, health care exposure, travel to hotspots including those in neighboring Missouri and Iowa, places of worship, and youth sports.

LaSalle County: large family and social gatherings, increase in cases among people younger than 29 years, younger people visiting bars and attending larger social events, and inconsistencies with masking requirements.

Peoria County: increases in cases among people younger than 29 years, large gatherings including 4th of July parties, and people traveling to Florida, Iowa, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Randolph County: congregate settings, numerous bars not complying with distancing and masking, a large party with more than 200 people, and among households.

Sounds as if they are basing this on some pretty specific contact tracing though.

 

[Josh Greer]

On a related note, if you are a data nerd like myself, here's a decent page showing stats by all US counties:

Story Map Series

This story map was created with the Story Map Series application in ArcGIS Online.

urbanobservatory.maps.arcgis.com

70 cases in the last 14 days in the 2 adjoining Missouri counties. Adams county, 157 cases in the last 14 days. All seem low to me to be highlighted as an emerging trend. Whereas Cook County (Chicago) has over 6000 cases in the last 14 days

 

[Westwind]

@Josh Greer I have to think that the difference in numbers has to do with population density? There are just a lot less ways to stay away from people in Chicago.

I live in a rural county in Illinois that is probably pretty similar to Adams county. We have had two towns with sick bartenders that have caused little “hotspots”. Our county is the same color is Adams on the map.

Also- there must be a fair amount of softball in Joplin which is in one of the adjoining Missouri counties. DD has played there a few times over the years and also quite a few of our local teams were traveling there to play before Iowa and Illinois opened up. That was pretty early in the game though, can’t imagine that’s still the case.

 

[The Man In Blue]

Cook County = 5,150,233 ... 6000/5150233 = .001165

Adams County = 65,435 ... 157/65435 = .00239933

Accounting for population, Adams County’s ”emerging” rate is double Cook County’s.

Still trying to find why they specifically cited youth sports.

 

[Comocoach]

@Josh Greer I have to think that the difference in numbers has to do with population density? There are just a lot less ways to stay away from people in Chicago.

I live in a rural county in Illinois that is probably pretty similar to Adams county. We have had two towns with sick bartenders that have caused little “hotspots”. Our county is the same color is Adams on the map.

Also- there must be a fair amount of softball in Joplin which is in one of the adjoining Missouri counties. DD has played there a few times over the years and also quite a few of our local teams were traveling there to play before Iowa and Illinois opened up. That was pretty early in the game though, can’t imagine that’s still the case.

This may be nitpicking and it is not meant to detract from your point.

Do you mean Hannibal? While there's plenty of softball there, Joplin is on the other side of the state.

 

[Westwind]

This may be nitpicking and it is not meant to detract from your point.

Do you mean Hannibal? While there's plenty of softball there, Joplin is on the other side of the state.

OMG, I don’t know what I did there!

Yep, Hannibal.. Never spent a night there. Driven through there a few times. I’m flat wore out, been a long year.

 

[radness]

Still trying to find why they specifically cited youth sports.

After the governor in ca. said school districts need to make their own decisions on how to get schools going again. And some districts/schools wanted in class. Then the gov. pulled his string and said no in classroom until...
Now.... districts/counties are talking/planning opening using libraries to
'HELP the kids who cant do home schooling'
Calling it daycare...but not utilizing schools...
Clarifys how things are classified matters.

Btw you can uber or lyft with a stranger in the same car...if you want to.

 

[RichK]

We have family in Quincy and have visited in recent months. The town had very few cases and was suffering economically during the lockdown, not happily. They opened early and hard, it was shocking to see the lack of mask-wearing in stores, etc. and youth sports were playing full-on games the first chance they could get and didn't see a single person watching wearing a mask. My wife was very worried about her hometown. I hope they can keep it tamped down, the number still aren't large but with school starting and numbers growing it could be a problem. They border Missouri and Iowa, which also have had issues, but the town doesn't have the type of ag/meatpacking sites that seem to have had issues in the past.

Sidenote, I have never run into a travel fastpitch team out of Quincy ever. It's a rec ball and high school ball town. I found that strange, it's a good sized community and there are teams in Springfield, 2 hours away.

 

[ang2bmd]

This is the 2nd state to blame youth sports and neither one has been able to produce any contact tracing data when ask. I'm thinking youth sports is being used as a scape goat....especially the outdoor ones. The only youth sports spread I've heard in my area has been spread from families that just returned from vacation....let's talk about vacation spread.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

 

[JumboJack]

The tourney I was at this past weekend was done very well. Stands behind home closed off. Masks required. Players sat in the stands with masks on while not playing. Parents sat in small family groups around the field. Much higher risk getting covid in a store or restaurant (or Disney World lol).