The Centers for Disease Control report large increases in numbers of COVID-19 cases across South Central Illinois during the past week. All area counties remain in the top or high category for the number of infections adjusted for population. Any county with more than 100 cases per 100,000 in the high category.
Marion County had 173 new cases in the seven-day period ending on Thursday for an infection rate of 465 per 100,000. That’s up 45-percent from last week. The county’s positivity rate for the past week is 8.3 percent. There were 18 new hospitalizations.
The most dramatic increase has been in Clay County. The 68 cases reported is 152-percent more than the prior week and represents an infection rate of 516 per 100,000 residents. Clay County’s positivity rate is over 19-percent and 14 new hospitalizations were reported during the week.
Jefferson County is reporting 106 new cases, a jump of 43-percent from the prior week. 281 per 100,000 residents were infected by COVID-19. The county’s positivity rate for the past week is over 11 percent. There have been 20 new hospital admissions in Jefferson County.
Clinton County has 93 new cases listed, a 22-percent increase in the past week. The infection rate is at 248 persons per 100,000. The seven-day positivity rate is at 6.7-percent. There has been one new hospitalization in the past week.
Washington County has 35 new cases for an infection rate of 252 per 100,000 population, a 59-percent increase in the one-week period of time. The positivity rate is placed at 18.5 percent. there were no new hospitalizations.
Fayette County is reporting 25 new cases in the past week and has the lowest per-capita rate of infections at 117 per 100,000. Even so, the county’s number of cases is up 25-percent in the past week. The positivity rate is at 2.5-percent. There have been no new hospitalizations.
In Wayne County, 68 new cases were reported for a rate of 419 per 100,000 people. That’s 39-percent higher than last week. There were eight new hospitalizations.
Meanwhile, the Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting 16,742 new cases statewide in the past week. There were also 64 additional deaths. There are 1,200 statewide listed as hospitalized, an increase of 33-percent in the past week. The Statewide positivity rate is at 4.6-percent.
IDPH reports 59-percent of Illinois residents are fully vaccinated and 75-percent have at least one shot. In Marion County, 31.7-percent are fully vaccinated and 39-percent have at least one shot.
