BLOOMINGTON (WEEK) – Two more deaths tied to COVID-19 have been reported in McLean County as the county’s two hospitals remain near capacity, local health officials said on Friday.
The McLean County Health Department said however that there’s been a decline in patients hospitalized with the virus.
The health department said one of the fatalities was a man in his 30s. The other was a man in his 80s. Neither man was living in a long-term care facilities. Since the pandemic’s start, the health department said it has counted 251 COVID-related deaths.
As for the decline in hospitalizations, the health department reported there were 31 patients being treated for COVID Friday at Carle BroMenn Medical Center in Normal and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington. There were 36 COVID patients hospitalized there on Thursday, the health department said. All but one of those hospitalized are McLean County residents, the health department also said.
The two hospitals were nearly full on Friday, treating those with COVID and other illnesses amid continued staffing shortages. The health department said 97% of all hospital beds were in use, while 88% of ICU beds were filled.
The health department reported 490 people in the county were isolating at home on Friday, from 448 on Thursday.
There were 92 new cases on Friday, boosting the total number of probable and confirmed cases to 21,042. Of that amount, 20,271 have been released from isolation and are considered recovered, the health department said.
The rolling test positivity rate rose to 3.7% for the seven-day period ending Thursday, from 3.6% from the weekly period ending Wednesday, the health department reported.
Health officials said fully-vaccinated people make up 52.73% of the county’s population, compared to 53.67% statewide.
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