The Marion County Health Department is reporting seven more COVID-19 related deaths.
Health Department Administrator Melissa Mallow says the seven were all residents of various long term care facilities in Marion County. Those who passed away are a male and female in their 80s and three females and two males in their 90s. All had tested positive for COVID-19. There have now been 79 deaths in Marion County.
Statewide, 179 additional deaths were reported on Wednesday. They include the death of females in their 50s and 80s in Jefferson County and a male in his 80s in Washington County. Five additional deaths were also reported in Effingham County.
There were also 32 new cases reported in Marion County on Thursday. Four were long term care residents. Two were students, one who was in class during their infectious period. Contact tracing is underway. 14 of the new cases are listed as community spread and 18 are listed as household or close contacts.
There are now 381 active cases in Marion County. 11 are currently in the hospital and four of those are on ventilators. Two more residents were released from isolation, bringing the total recovered to 1,944.
The Clinton County Health Department reported 67 new positive cases on Thursday. 535 are currently on home isolation and 18 are hospitalized.
Jefferson County is reporting 26 new cases. There are currently 240 active cases.
Fayette County has 31 new cases, including eight at congregate care facilities.
The Wayne County Health Department is reporting 12 new cases. 155 are currently isolating and five are hospitalized.
There were 8,256 new cases reported statewide on Thursday. The statewide positivity rate for the past seven days continues to decline and is now at 9.6-percent. The Southern Illinois Region positivity rate for the week ending December 6th has jumped to 13.2-percent. Marion County’s rate dropped to 13.4-percent. The Metro East Region’s rate remained at 15.1-percent. The East Central Illinois Region is at 12-percent.
There are a total of 156 in the Southern Illinois Region hospitalized from COVID-19 and only 18-percent of ICU beds are open. 36-percent of Med-Serg beds are open. In the Metro-East Region, 207 are hospitalized with 19-percent of ICU beds open and 16-percent of Med-Serg beds. There are 231 hospitalized in the East Central Illinois Region. 28-percent of Med-Serg beds are open and 26-percent of ICU beds.
