PEORIA, Ill. — The tri-county’s hospital bed capacity between Wednesday and Thursday increased significantly.
While 237 COVID-19 patients as of Wednesday afternoon were occupying beds, that number shrank Thursday to 174.
45 of those patients were in intensive care unit beds.
The greater region’s med/surg bed capacity sustained an availability of over 20%, but the region’s ICU bed capacity dipped to just below 20%. Both numbers must be above a 20% threshold before Region Two can be moved to tier two mitigation status from tier three.
The region’s rolling seven-day positivity rate continued its steady decline, reaching five consecutive days under the 12% threshold. Thursday’s 9.7% marked the first time since Nov. 3 that number has been below double digits.
Four people during the reporting period died from complications related to the virus, said the Peoria City/County Health Department.
They were all residents of Tazewell County in their 80s: two males who did not live in long-term care, a man who lived at Villas of Hollybrook Pekin, and a woman who lived at Lakeside Rehab and Healthcare in East Peoria.
Overall, Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties combined for 356 new cases.
Peoria residents accounted for 179 of the new cases, with Tazewell residents making up 142, and Woodford, 35.
