DeKALB — The DeKalb County Health Department has received 76 complaints on 37 bars and restaurants since Oct. 3 when resurgence mitigations took effect, according to a Thursday news release from the DeKalb County Health Department. 

When a complaint is received, a five-step enforcement procedure is initiated. The first two steps focus on education and obtaining voluntary compliance, according to the release. 

The third and fourth steps both contain a written warning and a site visit. If compliance is not achieved in the first four steps, the food permit may be pulled and the case will be referred to the States Attorney’s Office for an injunction of order to close.

“While we know that restaurant and bar owners and their employees are adversely impacted by the current mitigation efforts, we must enforce these state mandates for the health and safety of our community,” the news release reads. 

On Sept. 29, Governor J.B.Pritzker announced that region one was to undergo “resurgence mitigations” following an increase in test positivity rate of 8% or above for three consecutive days.

Since COVID-19 mitigation rules went into effect, the region’s positivity rate has gone up, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. The region’s positivity rate must fall to 6.5% or less for three straight days before it can return to Phase 4. If the region’s rate stays at 8% or higher for 14 days, it could face stricter mitigation orders.

On Monday, Pritzker announced that Region 1 would stay under the current restrictions and that his daily COVID-19 briefings would begin again due to “every region moving in the wrong direction.” He said a new wave of cases could be upon us with the colder weather coming in.