Will County Health Department Reports Rise in Respiratory Illnesses, Updates on Facility Issues

Will County Board Public Health & Safety Committee Meeting | January 7, 2026

Article Summary: At the January 7, 2026, meeting, Executive Director Elizabeth Bilotta reported a spike in respiratory illnesses across Will County, including high levels of influenza and rising cases of norovirus. The department also provided updates on a significant elevator outage at their main facility and a successful winter coat drive.

Health Department Key Points:

• Illness Surge: Influenza has climbed to “very high” levels, and norovirus (stomach bug) cases are increasing.

• Facility Challenges: The elevator at the main health department building (501 Ella Ave.) has been out of service for two months due to a hydraulic leak, forcing staff to relocate services to the first floor.

• Formula Recall: The department is monitoring a recall of “ByHeart” infant formula linked to botulism cases in 19 states.

• Community Support: A recent coat drive collected 710 coats, surpassing the goal of 500, to assist local families and schools.

JOLIET, Ill. — The Will County Health Department issued warnings regarding a winter surge in communicable diseases during the Public Health and Safety Committee meeting on Wednesday, January 7, 2026.

Executive Director Elizabeth Bilotta reported that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has classified influenza activity as “very high.” Additionally, the county is seeing an increase in norovirus, a highly contagious stomach ailment. Bilotta urged residents to return to basic hygiene practices, such as frequent hand washing and covering coughs, to mitigate the spread.

“Public health has a lot going on,” Bilotta said. “Not only the increase in illnesses but also there has been change in the childhood vaccination schedule that we’re still working through.”

Operational challenges were also a focus of the report. The main elevator at the Health Department’s 501 Ella Avenue campus has been out of service for two months following the discovery of an internal leak in the hydraulic cylinders.

“County Facilities Department realizes an operational elevator is critical to our operations and are working on rectifying the situation,” Bilotta stated. In the interim, staff have relocated to first-floor offices to ensure clients who cannot use stairs still have access to services.

On a positive note, Bilotta highlighted the success of a recent winter coat drive. The department collected 710 coats—well over their goal of 500—along with winter accessories. These items were distributed to 174 families and local school districts.

The department also reported on the growth of its Eastern Branch Office in Monee, noting that the number of clients accessing services at that location has doubled compared to the previous year.