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

McLean County's Positivity Rate Drops; Hospitalizations Remain Issue

Emily Bollinger
/
WGLT

McLean County’s COVID-19 testing positivity rate continues to drop, but hospitalizations and other metrics are trending in the wrong direction.

The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) on Monday reported 237 new confirmed COVID cases over the weekend, as the testing positivity rate fell to 8.4%. That’s down more than a full percentage point from last week.

Four more people from McLean County are hospitalized, bringing the total to 28 hospitalized patients—just under the record high of 29.

The county’s intensive care bed capacity worsened over the weekend; 92% of ICU beds are occupied. That’s up from 88% on Friday. However, the number of total hospital beds available doubled; 32% of all hospital beds are open.

The county’s active caseload is on the rise. That number is now 1,207, with 1,179 people isolating at home.

Health officials reported no new COVID-19 related deaths over the weekend. An additional 171 people are now considered recovered.

McLean County has ticked just one of three boxes needed to roll back Tier 2 mitigations under the Restore Illinois plan. The state requires three consecutive days of a testing positivity rate below 12%. McLean County has met that requirement for eight consecutive days.

But the county falls short on hospitalizations and hospital bed capacity, though MCHD Administrator Jessica McKnight notes those metrics aren’t far off.

The state requires greater than 20% percent available intensive care and medical/surgical bed availability (three-day rolling average) for three consecutive days. McKnight said McLean County has met that threshold for ICU beds for two consecutive days and medical/surgical beds for 11 consecutive days.

The state also requires a decline in the number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital seven out of the last 10 days. McLean County is at six out of the last 10 days.

Gov. JB Pritzker has said although two medical regions in the state meet that criteria, all areas will remain under the tighter restrictions.

Coronavirus - Testing Positivity Rate
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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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