The CDC lists Marion County in the ‘high’ category for community transmission of COVID-19 for the week ending Thursday. There were 136 new cases and six new hospital admissions made in the past week. The number of cases is up 1.5-percent from last week. The infection rate is 366 per 100,000 people, compared to the state average of 191 cases per 100,000.
Marion County Health Department Administrator Melissa Mallow says there were no COVID-19-related deaths in the past week.
There are currently five Marion County congregate care facilities in outbreak status. One facility has two positives, another has 8, a third 15, a fourth 18, and the fifth facility has 26 positives.
Washington County is also at the ‘high’ community spread level with 36 new cases and two new hospitalizations. The number of new cases is up nine percent.
The rest of South Central Illinois is in the medium community spread category. Clinton County had 84 new cases, a nine percent increase, and four new hospitalizations. Jefferson County had 93 new cases, an 11 percent decline, and three new hospitalizations. Fayette County has 90 new cases, a 73-percent increase, and two new hospitalizations. Clay County had 38 new cases, a 32-percent decline, and no new hospitalizations. Wayne County had 58 new cases, a nine-percent increase, and two new hospitalizations.
Statewide there were 24,297 new or probable cases reported in the week ending on Thursday along with 82 additional deaths since August 19th. 33 counties are now at the high community level and 48 at the medium level.
As of Thursday night, 1,310 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 158 patients were in the ICU and 59 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators.
Those in the high community transmission counties are recommended to wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of their vaccination status. Those with health issues should take further precautions.
