Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart signed a disaster proclamation on Friday for Lake County in order to obtain resources and funding amid the coronavirus outbreak.
The proclamation follows a recommendation by the Lake County Board of Health at its executive board meeting which took place on Thursday.
The proclamation will ensure the county is able to access resources, equipment and personnel needed to address changing circumstances, Lake County Chief Communications Officer Arin Thrower said in a statement.
“This is particularly necessary should the number of COVID-19 cases rise and the demands on County staff and partners continue to increase,” Thrower said.
“This proclamation allows for greater collaboration with our local, state and federal partners,” Lake County Board Chair Sandy Hart said.
“It also positions the County to access funding and support from the federal government when additional resources are necessary, and funding is made available.”
All Lake County government offices remain open and officials said they have a contingency planning team in place that is closely monitoring the COVID-19 situation.
The Lake County Health Department issued guidelines saying that large-scale events and public meetings should be canceled, and social distancing in the workplace should be encouraged.
“Our highest priority is to ensure the health and safety of Lake County employees and their families, and residents,” County Administrator Gary Gibson said.
“This is a dynamic situation, and our staff is working tirelessly to stay up to date with the most current information and make informed decisions to minimize the spread of COVID-19,” Gibson said.
In Illinois, there are currently 32 confirmed cases of coronavirus, including a Lake County resident in his 50s, as of Thursday, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.
On Friday, President Trump declared a national emergency over the coronavirus as the number of cases nationwide exceeded 1,600 and 41 people have died.