The grim consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic continue to grow as Tri-County health officials on Friday reported eight new deaths in one day.
The latest fatalities bring the death toll for Peoria, Tazewell and Woodford counties to 277 since the start of the pandemic, with 65 added in the last two weeks – and 20 in just the past three days.
The region added 356 new COVID-19 cases Friday, bringing the tally to 19,431 since mid-March. Peoria County has produced more than half of the cases (9,941) and almost half of the deaths (138).
While hospitalizations in the Peoria area dropped for the fourth consecutive day, the number of residents isolating at home with coronavirus infections climbed to 6,373.
Seven of the most recent deaths are from Tazewell County, including three residents of Washington Senior Living. The others were one man and one woman in their 50s, and one man and one woman in their 80s. A Peoria County woman in her 80s from Heritage Health also perished.
Of the 109 patients being treated for COVID-19 in the Peoria area’s hospitals, 53 are in intensive care units.
Also on Friday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported 10,526 additional coronavirus infections and 148 more deaths. Those figures bring the statewide tallies since the start of the pandemic to 770,088 cases and 12,974 fatalities.
As of Thursday night, Illinois hospitals were treating 5,453 patients for COVID-19, with 1,153 in ICUs and 703 on ventilators. The state’s preliminary seven-day test positivity rate dipped slightly to 12.1%.
There's no subscription fee to listen or read our stories. Everyone can access this essential public service thanks to community support. Donate now, and help fund your public media.
Copyright 2021 WCBU. To see more, visit WCBU. 9(MDIwMjIxMDA0MDE0Mzk4NDIzNjA0OGQ5Yg001))
