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McLean County health officials have reported 1,786 new coronavirus cases since Friday and four additional deaths.
Hospital bed capacity eased slightly in Bloomington-Normal, but the number of McLean County residents hospitalized with COVID-19 increased by three, to 49, over the weekend.
According to the McLean County Health Department (MCHD), the latest deaths include two people in their 60s — a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s. The woman in her 90s was the only one of the four associated with a long-term care facility.
MCHD has reported 319 COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic, including 13 in the first 10 days of 2022. Carle BroMenn Medical Center and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center report 94% of their beds are taken and 89% of intensive care beds are claimed. The hospitals report they have 65 COVID patients receiving care.
The two hospitals had no available ICU beds on Friday. The county indicated a record 5,796 people are isolating at home and 30,580 people are considered recovered after finishing their time in quarantine. McLean County’s seven-day testing positivity rate dropped to 19%, still above the state average.
The county’s rate of fully vaccinated is 58.6%, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) The state rate is 61.1%.
Campus cases
Illinois State University reported 535 new coronavirus cases over the last week as students, faculty and staff prepare for a delayed in-person return for the spring semester.
The campus testing positivity rate is 12.6% according to ISU’s online COVID dashboard.
University officials previously announced in-person instruction will resume Jan. 24. Students, faculty and staff are required to show a negative coronavirus test before returning to campus.
ISU also indicated 97% of faculty and staff are fully vaccinated. That’s an increase from 94% at the end of the fall semester. Seventy-seven percent of ISU students are fully vaccinated. That’s down from 79% in mid-December. The vaccination rate among students living on campus is higher (90%). Anyone who is not fully vaccinated must submit to weekly COVID testing.
Illinois Wesleyan University reported 100 new coronavirus cases on its COVID dashboard through baseline testing from Dec. 30-Jan. 6 as students and faculty returned to campus from the winter break. IWU said the student vaccination rate is 97%.
