PEORIA, Ill. — Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties belong to Region Two of Illinois, which was one of just two of the state’s 11 regions as of Thursday afternoon not under mitigation restrictions.
However, the region’s seven-day rolling positivity rate rose Thursday to 7.9%.
8% is the “magic number” set by the Illinois Department of Public Health for a region to be placed on mitigation status.
Once a region reaches 8%, it must remain there for three days before mitigation measures are enacted.
“Make no mistake. That is eventuality for us,” said Monica Hendrickson, Peoria City/County Health Department Administrator.
With mitigation, bars and restaurants are strictly prohibited from serving indoors. Any outdoor service must end at 11 P.M., the same time casinos are forced to close.
Outdoor seating is allowed, but by reservation only.
Peoria County between Wednesday and Thursday set a 24-hour record for COVID-19 cases, while one died from complications related to the virus, and two Tazewell residents also succumbed to virus-related issues.
The Peoria death was of a man in his 70s who didn’t live in long-term care.
His death brought Peoria’s total to 70.
The Tazewell deaths were of two males; one in his 70s and the other in his 90s.
Both lived at Timber Creek, which has been experiencing an outbreak. That facility has had four deaths in the past six days.
Peoria County’s 100 cases marked a county record since the start of the pandemic.
Tazewell saw 32 new positive cases.
Woodford County didn’t have any new deaths to report, but did have 14 additional cases.
91 area residents were in hospitals with either confirmed or suspected cases of the virus. 20 of the cases were enough to require intensive care.
Overall area recovery fell to 81.27%.
