UPDATED 15:40 | | McLean County has its first COVID-19 case related to the UK’s most contagious version of the coronavirus.
County Health Department Administrator Jessica McKnight said at a news conference on Friday that she had no details about the case, adding that it was a concern as COVID cases were returning.
“We could see a further increase in cases if we are cowardly in our efforts to prevent transmission,” McKnight said. “The more the virus is allowed to spread, the greater the risk that new and more dangerous variants will evolve.”
Last month, health officials confirmed the South African version in a Rock Islander who tested positive for coronavirus.
The McLean County Health Department (MCHD) announced 33 new coronavirus cases on Friday. This leads to the total number of confirmed and probable cases of the county since the beginning of the pandemic at 14,626.
The county registered 252 new cases in the last week – the highest weekly number in the county since January.
According to MCHD, 164 coronavirus patients are isolated at home and another 40 people have completed their quarantine period in the last 24 hours and are considered recovered.
There are 22 McLean County residents hospitalized with COVID-19, while 94% of Bloomington-Normal hospital beds and 73% of ICU beds are occupied.
The county reports 173 deaths related to COVID.
The positivity rate of the seven-day tests in McLean County fell to 2.3%, while the cumulative positivity rate remains at 5.9%, based on more than 249,500 tests conducted since the beginning of the pandemic.
Vaccine update
McKnight said McLean County expects to receive about 2,900 COVD vaccines for the first dose next week. She said that this is an increase compared to the last weeks and, if the trend continues, the county could soon start vaccinating people with underlying medical conditions.
“I hope we can move on to that extended 1B-Plus eligibility sooner than I originally anticipated,” McKnight said.
She said about half of the county’s eligible population received at least one dose, adding that she would like it to be close to 75% before the eligibility is extended.
Illinois expects to receive more than 100,000 doses of the new Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine, but McKnight said it has not heard when the county will receive its first single-dose vaccine shipment.
“I think it will be a few weeks before we see this in the counties, although it would be great to prove ourselves wrong and receive it sooner, because that would only allow us to give more vaccine to our community,” McKnight said.
Most first Johnson & Johnson vaccine deliveries are targeted for mass vaccination sites across the state
As of Friday, nearly 40,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given in McLean County, while nearly 14,000 people in the Phase 1A and 1B population have received both doses.
This is according to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH). The figures show that the complete vaccination rate of McLean County (8.1%) slightly exceeds the state average (8%).
MCHD has announced five vaccination clinics for the first and second dose over the next two weeks.
- Tuesday, March 9 at Grossinger Motors Arena in downtown Bloomington; only the first doses
- Wednesday, March 10 at the Center for Activities and Recreation (ARC), in normal doses, only in doses
- Thursday, March 11 at Grossinger; first and second dose
- Friday, March 12 at ARC; only the second dose
- Tuesday, March 16 at Grossinger; only the first doses
COVID scams
MCHD also said that the department’s COVID call center received two calls from the public this week, reporting misleading calls or messages.
“It appears that the crooks are using our call center phone number,” health department spokeswoman Marianne Manko said in a press release.
Manko said the tracking and call center staff will never ask you for personal information, payment information or text messages and ask you to click a link.
The call center is available between 09:00 and 16:00 during the week. The phone number is (309) 888-5600.
Coronavirus in McLean County
Infogram
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