Active coronavirus cases dropped to a nearly three-month low in McLean County on Monday, but the county's COVID death toll continues to climb.
The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) has reported 350 COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic. The latest three deaths reported Monday involved people in their 60s: two women and one man. None were associated with a long-term care facility.
Bloomington-Normal hospitals have reported a drop in COVID hospitalizations to 21, while 27 McLean County residents are in the hospital with COVID. That comes after a rapid decline in new cases in the last three weeks. Despite that drop, 97% of Twin Cities’ hospital beds are full and 81% of intensive care beds are occupied.
MCHD said 553 McLean County residents are isolating at home. The active caseload of 508 is the county’s lowest since Nov. 18, according to data from MCHD and compiled by WGLT.
The county’s seven-day testing positivity rate fell to 2.4%. That matches the county’s lowest rate since Nov. 9.
McLean County has surpassed 60% fully vaccinated people based on data from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The rate has moved up incrementally since last summer.
School cases
Meanwhile, Unit 5 schools based in Normal saw a more than 50% drop in weekly coronavirus cases last week, as schools were open for a full week compared with just two days the previous week.
The district reported 103 new cases and 146 quarantines among students and staff from Feb. 6-12, according to its COVID dashboard. That’s down from 210 cases and 234 quarantines the prior week, when schools were closed for three days because of a winter storm.
Bloomington-based District 87’s dashboard also indicated a drop in cases. The district reported 37 coronavirus cases among students, six cases among staff and 30 student quarantines from Feb. 2-7. District 87 saw 45 student cases, one staff case and 84 student quarantines on Jan. 31-Feb. 1.