The Marion County Health Department is reporting 61 new COVID-19 cases on Saturday and Sunday. There were no additional deaths, which remain at 93.
Statewide, there were 4,699 new confirmed and probable cases as well as 98 additional deaths. The deaths included a male in his 80s in Washington County and a male in his 90s in Effingham County. The number of cases is the lowest in a single day since late October. Monday was the third straight day the number of deaths did not reach 100.
Of the new Marion County cases, none were long-term care residents and six were students. Only one was attending in-person class and contact tracing is underway. 50 of the cases are considered community spread and the 11 others are believed to be from household or close contacts.
There are now 339 active cases, including 21 in the hospital. Three of those are on ventilators. There were no additional cases released over the weekend. A total of 2,365 are listed as recovered.
The Clinton County Health Department reported 58 new cases over the weekend and Monday. there are now 471 on home isolation and 11 who are hospitalized.
There were 71 new cases reported over the weekend and Monday in Jefferson County. Seven are long term care residents.
The Fayette County Health Department is reporting 55 new positive cases, 13 linked to a congregate-care facility.
Clay County Health Department officials report 21 new cases from Friday through Sunday. During that time two more deaths were confirmed by the state, bringing the county’s death toll during the pandemic to 30.
The statewide positivity rate dropped to 7.5-percent for the week ending December 20th. The Southern Illinois Region is at 12.2-percent positivity for the week ending December 18th. Marion County’s positivity rate has dipped to 8.8-percent. The Metro-East Region remains at 11.7-percent. The East Central Illinois rate is at 9.1-percent.
ICU beds are under the 20-percent threshold in both the Southern and Metro-East Regions, with 16.1-percent of the beds available in the Southern Region and 17.7-percent in the Metro-East. Med-Serg beds are also under the 20-percent threshold in the Metro-East at 16-percent.
