The Marion County Health Department announced two new COVID-19 related deaths on Wednesday evening, bringing the county’s death toll to 100 since the pandemic began. The two new deaths on Wednesday were a male in his 80s and a female in her 90s. Neither was a long term care resident.
Statewide, there were 178 additional deaths reported including a female in her 80s in Jefferson County. It is the 65th death in Jefferson County. Illinois Public Health Officials say about half of the 16,179 deaths statewide are tied to nursing homes or other long term care facilities.
The Marion County Health Department also reported 72 new cases. Seven were long-term care residents and seven were students. The new cases included 47 that are considered community spread and 25 that appear to have spread from household or close contacts. All are in isolation.
There are now 412 active cases in Marion County, including 24 in the hospital. Four of those are on ventilators. There were 11 who were released from isolation on Wednesday, bringing the total number recovere4d to 2,664.
The Clinton County Health Department reported 39 new cases. There are currently 376 in home isolation and 11 who are hospitalized.
The Jefferson County Health Department is reporting 33 new positive cases. There are now 226 in isolation.
The Washington County Health Department is reporting 33 new lab-confirmed cases on Tuesday and Wednesday. There are now 108 active cases and three who are hospitalized.
The Fayette County Health Department has 22 new positive cases, including two from a congregate-care facility.
The Wayne County Health Department reported 17 new cases on Wednesday. 94 are currently in isolating and two are hospitalized.
There were 5,644 newly confirmed cases statewide. The seven-day positivity rate is 7.4-percent. The Southern Illinois Region positivity rate remains at 11.7-percent for the week ending December 27th. Marion County’s rate for the same period increased to 10.5-percent. The Metro East Region remains at 12.1-percent. The East Central Illinois Region is at 8.3-percent positivity. The availability of ICU beds is just under 15-percent in both the Southern and Metro-East Regions.
