McLean County health officials announced four new coronavirus cases on Friday to bring the county’s total to 99.
According to the McLean County Health Department, four patients are hospitalized, while seven are in home isolation; 85 have recovered. Three patients died in March.
The rate of confirmed cases has generally trended downward over the last few weeks.
“I think it means that we keep our vigilance up, that we work with every positive case identified and do thorough contact tracing which we are doing,” said health department assistant director Cathy Coverston Anderson.
The confirmed COVID-19 cases continue to disproportionately affect women, who make up 61% of cases. African Americans make up 35% of cases. That’s about three times the population rate.
Illinois health officials announced a record number of new COVID-19 cases on Friday. The state added 3,137 cases to bring the total to 56,055. The Illinois Department of Public Health announced 102 deaths on Friday, including a Sangamon County woman in her 80s. That brings the state’s death toll to 2,457.
Testing Outreach
McLean County health officials said they plan to expand their outreach to get more people tested for COVID-19 now that the mobile site in Bloomington has expanded guidelines.
County communications specialist Dion McNeal said the county wants to make suremore critical infrastructure workers know they don't have to show symptoms to get tested, especially since Gov. JB Pritzker has allowed more types of businesses to open in May.
“With this modified executive order, we are wanting to expand those reaches to not just the grocery stores and those gas stations we have been in contact with here in McLean County, but now including some restaurants that are looking to open up and other places that are looking to open up as well,” McNeal said.
The drive-thru site at the McLean County Fairgrounds has seen a modest increase in traffic in recent days since guidelines expanded, but it's still running at about half capacity.
McNeal added test results are generally received within two to four days.
Advocate BroMenn Medical Center in Normal has taken down its overflow tent that was intended to handle a surgein coronavirus patients. That surge hasn't happened.
Anderson said the hospital is still prepared if a rise in patients comes later.
“I’m reassured that they have tents and they can go right back up if needed,” she said.
Advocate Eureka Hospital also has taken down its overflow tent.
Complaints
The McLean County Health Department said it fielded about 60 complaints about alleged violators in the first month of the governor's shelter-in-place order. Administrator Jessica McKnight said a majority of the complaints have been about social distancing and whether businesses that have opened are essential.
She said her office also has heard complaints about employees not wearing masks or gloves on the job.
Knight said her office is just seeking compliance.
“We want to work with whatever the facility is, find out what’s actually going on and there if there are some things they could do, if there are some measures that could be put in place,” McKnight said. “We are looking for a collaboration. We want to work with them.”
McKnight said the health department hasn't taken punitive action against any business.
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