PEORIA — A Woodford County patient at an unnamed UnityPoint Health clinic has tested positive for the coronavirus strain that causes the COVID-19 disease, state and local officials announced.

The man in his 70s was tested Friday, and the Illinois Department of Public Heath has been notified. The patient, according to a memo sent to UnityPoint staff, was isolated at home and recovering.

Although the man's name has not been revealed, Willow Hill United Methodist Church in Germantown Hills has indicated it has canceled all activity in the wake of a positive test for a parishioner.

Hillary Aggertt, the administrator of the Woodford County Health Department, didn't say when the man was tested or at which clinic. She referred all questions about that to the state's Department of Public Health. The Woodford department was in the process of going through the man's contacts and trying to find who might be at risk.

"We are trying to do some of our contact tracing to find out who might be at medium or high risk for this individual," Aggertt said. "In the general population at large we would say it is low risk, but we are still evaluating that in our investigation process."

If a person is believed to be at risk, Aggertt said, the health department will reach out to that person as well as follow up with their health-care provider.

Monica Hendrickson, the head of the Peoria City/County Health Department, did confirm this man's test was not the one that was still pending from Friday afternoon.

UnityPoint Health has facilities in Peoria and Pekin, among other places. Among its hospitals are Pekin and Methodist and Proctor, both in Peoria. The organization also operates a number of clinics and affiliates in the area.

The positive test is the first confirmed case in the region. As of Saturday, there were 64 confirmed cases, according to data released by the state Department of Public Health, with all but a few in the Chicago area. Two more people were confirmed in the Metro East area outside of St. Louis. Another confirmed case was located in Cumberland County near Charleston and Mattoon.

After state officials released their daily count of cases, an additional two were confirmed in Sangamon County, including one health officials described during a news conference as being "critical."

Locally, officials were in lockstep when they repeated several times that people need to exercise caution, self-isolate if necessary and call their doctor if they feel they have any symptoms of the COVID-19 illness. As most people will only experience slight to moderate symptoms, Dr. Samer Sader, the chief medical officer of UnityPoint Health, said rest, fluids and over-the-counter medication could alleviate the situation. He stressed that if people are having more serious problems or if the condition persists, they should call their doctor.

Dr. Gregg Stoner, the medical director of the Peoria City/County Health Department, said, "We knew this day was going to come, but the advice that we have given out is good advice, and the social distancing and canceling sporting events were timely and ahead of the curve."

People should not just show up to a doctor's office or an emergency department, he said, as that could expose others. Rather, Sader and others want people to call first and be screened over the phone. The idea is that if someone really is at risk, then they can be kept in isolation or be taken to a hospital in a way that will not put others at risk.

Michael Cruz, the head of OSF HealthCare Saint Francis Medical Center, and Keith Knepp, regional CEO for UnityPoint Health, both said they were on their way to begin implementation of more restrictive visiting guidelines. No one who is sick will be allowed in a patient's room. Visits will be limited to very few people who are "deemed essential" to the patient's well-being.

The restrictions could increase to limit medical, paramedic and pharmacology students. Cruz and Knepp both admitted it was a burden on students who need those hours of observation to graduate but said the public good was more important right now.

Meanwhile, the church in Germantown Hills attended by the patient is a polling center for Tuesday's election. Aggertt said she didn't know if the county clerk in Woodford County would opt to move voting to another location.

State Rep. Ryan Spain, whose district includes part of Woodford County, said his office would serve as a clearinghouse for those who want to donate and help out people in the area. The Peoria Republican praised the generosity of the region and said for people to call his office to see what they could do.