5 more COVID-related deaths reported in McLean County; Positivity rate above 11%

There are 34 McLean County residents hospitalized due to COVID and 988 are in home isolation. (Graphic courtesy McLean County Health Department)

 

By Neil Doyle

BLOOMINGTON – Local health officials Friday reported five additional McLean County residents have died from COVID-19 complications.

The McLean County Health Department said four of the people lived in long-term care facilities. According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, 66 of the 121 lives lost in the county have been associated with long-term care facilities.

MCHD announced 222 new cases. There are 34 McLean County residents hospitalized due to COVID, and 988 are in home isolation. The county’s rolling positivity rate jumped from 8.8% on Thursday to 11.1%.

772 new coronavirus cases have been reported since New Year’s Eve, according to local health officials. An age breakdown of the new cases:

  • Under 1: 4
  • 1-17: 136
  • 18-19: 35
  • 20s: 137
  • 30s: 115
  • 40s: 106
  • 50s: 93
  • 60s: 79
  • 70s: 24
  • 80s: 23
  • 90s: 19
  • 100s: 1

McLean County hospitals are reporting 73% of ICU beds in use, 84% of total beds in use and 50 people hospitalized for COVID-19.

166 additional people were released from isolation, now 11,218 have recovered.

Neil Doyle can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…