The Illinois Department of Public Health New Year’s Day reported 157 more COVID-19 related deaths including four in South Central Illinois.
Three of the deaths were in Jefferson County, females in their 70s, 80s, and 90s, and one in Washington County, a female in her 90s. Other Southern Illinois deaths were also reported in Jackson, Madison, Marshall, Perry, Randolph, Saline, St. Clair, and White Counties.
The Illinois Department of Public Health also reported 7,201 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19. The state’s seven-day positivity rate continues to rise and is back to 8.1-percent. The Southern Illinois Region positivity rate for the week ending December 29th remains at 12.5-percent for the second day in a row. The Marion County rate has increased back to 10.3-percent. The Metro-East Region has increased to 12.7-percent. The East Central Illinois Region’s positivity has bumped up to 8.9-percent.
State figures show 131 are currently hospitalized in the Southern Illinois Region with COVID-19 with only 13.5-percent of ICU beds available. There were 191 hospitalized in the Metro-East Region with ICU bed availability down to 13.4-percent. 179 were hospitalized on January 1st in the East Central Illinois Region with ICU and Med-Surg beds both above the 20-percent availability rate being sought by the state.
