The rate of COVID vaccinations in McLean County has more than doubled over the last month, but coronavirus cases also continue to rise.
The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) announced 69 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday. Those positive tests came from a batch of about 1,000 tests returned overnight.
The county has more than 400 active cases for the first time since early May.
Thirteen McLean County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19 — up one from Monday. Bloomington-Normal hospitals report they have 25 COVID-19 patients receiving care. MCHD said 393 McLean County residents are isolating at home, while 56 people were released from quarantine since Monday and 18,948 people are considered recovered from COVID-19.
McLean County has reported 242 COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The county’s seven-day testing positivity raterose to 4.6%; the cumulative positivity rate since March 20 remains 4.8% based on more than 408,900 tests.
Part of the increase in new cases is tied to an increase in testing. Nearly 9,000 COVID tests were conducted over the last week in McLean County, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). That's the county's highest weekly total since May 4.
Vaccinations rise
Meanwhile, according to IDPH data, more than 530 COVID vaccines were distributed daily over the last week in McLean County. That compares with less than 230 daily shots the week of July 27. Those figures pale in comparison to the more than 2,000 vaccines per day that were going into arms in McLean County in early April.
McLean County’s rate of fully vaccinated is 51.2%, The state average is 52%. McLean County continues to have high community transmission of COVID-19, based on metrics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.
High transmission
The county averaged 177 new cases per 100,000 residents for the week ending Aug. 15. The CDC has called for counties that have substantial or high COVID transmission to recommend mask use in indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status.
The CDC considers 100 new cases per 100,000 population to be high and 50 new cases for 100,000 to be substantial.
