Hospitalization for COVID-19 down in McLean County; health officials report 303 new cases of COVID-19

Posted on December 20, 2021
The McLean County Health Department reported the new cases on Monday. (Photo courtesy: WJBC/File)

By Blake Haas

BLOOMINGTON – As cases of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron spread, local health officials report 303 new cases of COVID-19 since Friday.

Health officials say hospital beds are nearing capacity in McLean County, as 30 county residents are hospitalized with the virus. In addition, the number of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 in the county is 40.

Local hospitals report 81% of ICU beds in use and 91% of total beds in use. On Friday, local health officials reported 100% of ICU beds and 97% of total beds were in use.

The county’s positivity rate remained steady since Friday at 4.1%. The county’s rolling positivity rate dropped slightly to 5.2% from 5.9% on Friday.

There have been 298 COVID-related deaths in the county since the start of the pandemic.

The McLean County Health Department reports 236,937 doses of the COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the county, and 57.68% of the county’s population is fully vaccinated.

According to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), 59.94% of the state’s population is fully vaccinated.

Blake Haas 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…