The Illinois Department of Public Health on Sunday reported an additional 104 deaths from COVID-19 related causes on Sunday. The deaths included two in Wayne County and one in Washington County. The Washington County death was a male in his 80s and was the county’s 21st death. The Wayne County deaths were a female in her 70s and a male in his 80s. There have now been 43 deaths in Wayne County.
The Wayne County Health Department also reporting 16 new COVID-19 cases for Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Saturday. 88 are currently in isolation and three are hospitalized.
There were 3,767 new COVID-19 cases reported around the state. The Statewide positivity rate for the past seven days is at 6.8-percent. The Southern Illinois Region positivity remains at 12.1-percent. Marion County’s rate is at 10.4-percent. The Metro-East Region positivity rate has risen to 12-percent. The East Central Illinois Region positivity is at 8.6-percent.
The only area where hospitals in the Southern third of the state are below the 20-percent threshold is the Southern Illinois Region which only has 16-percent of ICU beds available.

