Mendota leads LaSalle County in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases and Mayor David Boelk has issued an order to try to slow down the disease’s spread there. He says the number of confirmed cases in the city has multiplied by five in the last four weeks.
As of 5:30pm today, businesses that don’t comply with recommendations for combating COVID-19 can be fined, shut down or both. If the business has a city liquor license, the license can be suspended for at least a week. People who refuse to wear masks inside businesses can be fined up to $500 for disorderly conduct or trespassing.
Boelk is not ordering business closures, but he is telling business owners to arrange for outdoor service to the greatest extent possible. He’s even offering to let them use city property to accommodate customers. Businesses need to call City Hall at 815-539-7459 to make arrangements.
The Illinois Department of Public Health says Mendota has had 153 COVID-19 cases as of today. Second in LaSalle County are Ottawa and Streator with 84 each. Marseilles is next with 56.
Most of the Marseilles cases were at Aperion Care. Ten people died out of 42 cases reported altogether. IDPH considers that outbreak to be over. Ten cases have been reported at Heritage Health in Mendota. However, it is considered to be an “open case” and that case count from IDPH is nearly a week old.