McLean County has topped 400 COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic.
The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) reported four additional deaths on Friday. The county’s weekly report shows an increase in new coronavirus cases, while the county remains at low COVID transmission.
According to the health department, the latest deaths included a woman in her 60s, a man in his 60s, a man in his 70s and a man in his 80s. The man in his 80s was associated with a long-term care facility. The other three were not.
Those deaths bring the county’s COVID death toll since to 402.
McLean County reported 174 new coronavirus cases. The age groups with the largest number of cases were people in their 20s, 30s and 60s (23 each).
McLean County’s hospitalization rate dropped slightly to 6.2 new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents.
The county’s seven-day testing positivity rate dropped to 8.8%.
Boosters
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced Friday it will follow the Centers for Disease Control’s recommendation that children ages 5 and older receive the new bivalent booster shot.
COVID vaccinations continue to rebound as the new bivalent vaccine that attacks the latest omicron subvariants has become widely available.
According to data from IDPH, more than 2,600 COVID vaccines have been administered in the county in the last week. That’s the highest weekly rate since January.
