Tazewell County is at a COVID-19 warning level again.
This is the second time the Illinois Department of Public Health has classified Tazewell as a warning area. The last time was in the first week of August.
Tazewell County Health Department spokeswoman Sara Sparkman said contact tracing attributes the spread of COVID-19 locally to disregard for face coverings and social distancing, social gatherings without precautions, lack of isolation of positive people from their family members, and asymptomatic or people with mild symptoms not taking the proper precautions.
The number of hospital admissions of people with a COVID-like illness is increasing; currently it is 10. The county is reporting 151 people per 100,000 are testing positive, far over the state's target level of 50.
A Tazewell County man in his 70s living at the Aperion Care long-term care facility was reported dead due to COVID-related causes. He is the 13th death from COVID-19 in Tazewell County reported since the pandemic began.
Stark County and McLean County are also at warning levels. Both counties were also classified as warning areas last week, and lie within the larger Region 2.
Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis warned earlier this week the region as a whole was trending the wrong way, and facing the potential of renewed restrictions on businesses and activities. Region 7 near Chicago and Region 4 near St. Louis are already under increased restrictions due to surges in COVID-19 cases there.
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