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WGLT's reporting on the coronavirus pandemic, which began in McLean County in March 2020.

McLean County COVID Hospitalizations Climb To 51

Staff / WGLT
Just 1% of Bloomington-Normal hospital beds are available, as the county sets a new record with 51 COVID patients

McLean County health officials report a record 51 residents hospitalized with COVID-19. That comes as Bloomington-Normal hospital bed capacity constricted to just 1% of all beds available.

The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) added 99 new confirmed or probable cases on Wednesday. The testing positivity rate is down slightly, at 5.5%.

The new cases bring the county’s total since the start of the pandemic to 16,476. Of those, 15,645 people are now considered recovered. The county’s death toll held at 213.

The active caseload rose back above 600. It’s now 618, with 567 people isolating at home.

Just under 97,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in McLean County, according to state data. That’s an increase of 2,300 doses in the past day.

McLean County has exceeded 23% of the population being fully vaccinated, or about 40,000 residents. The county is now within half a percentage point of the state’s rate.

State and county health officials encourage people to register with the Centers for Disease Control’s V-safe After Vaccination Health Checker—an app that uses text messages and web surveys to provide personalized check-ins after someone has received the COVID-19 vaccine.

The county is following state guidance in pausing administration of the Johnson & Johnson single-dose COVID vaccine. Vaccination clinics will continue as scheduled using Pfizer or Moderna supplies.

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Dana Vollmer is a reporter with WGLT. Dana previously covered the state Capitol for NPR Illinois and Peoria for WCBU.
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