COVID-19 painted another grim picture across West Central Illinois this weekend.
The Morgan County Health Department reported 86 new cases today along with 5 additional deaths from over the weekend. The new deaths included 4 females in their 90s and one female in her 70s. All of the deceased were members of long-term care facilities. Morgan County currently has 296 active cases, with 13 of those remaining hospitalized. 316 people are currently in quarantine. Morgan County has now had 77 residents die due to the virus.
The Cass County Health Department is reporting 19 new cases of Covid in Cass County. Five individuals received positive Covid results over the weekend; an additional 14 positive tests were reported today. The active case count is at 120, with 7 hospitalized in Cass County.
The Schuyler County Health Department reported 12 new cases today, since their previous report on Thursday. The health department also received confirmation of 3 deaths of residents over the weekend, bringing the total number of COVID-19 deaths in the county to 10. The cases were a female in her 70s, a female in her 80s, and a female in her 90s. The health department also received confirmation of an outbreak at the Schuyler County Jail in Rushville. Schuyler County currently has 72 active cases.
The Pike County Health Department reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 today, since their previous report on Friday. PCHD was also notified of an additional death today, a female in her 80s. Pike County currently has 113 active cases, with 17 currently hospitalized. Pike County has now had 34 deceased due to COVID-19.
The Scott County Health Department reported 14 new cases over the week ending December 18th. This brings Scott County’s active case count to 18. 32 residents in Scott County are under quarantine. The health department also announced the last day of COVID-19 testing this week will be Wednesday from 9-11AM.
The Greene County Health Department had 6 new community acquired Covid cases to report today and 7 from over the weekend. Greene County’s active case count currently stands at 55.
The Brown County Public Health Department reported 13 new active cases since their previous update Friday. Currently there are 71 active cases, with 2 of those hospitalized in Brown County.
The Illinois Department of Public Health today reported 4,699 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 in Illinois, including 98 additional deaths. The seven day statewide positivity rate is at 7.5%.
Governor J.B. Pritzker’s press secretary Jordan Abuddayeh said in a press release today that Illinois expects to receive shipments to both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Both vaccines will be direct shipped to providers (hosptials) and will not be going to the Illinois Strategic National Stockpile. 60,450 doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected on either Tuesday or Wednesday. She says from this number of doses, the federal government will begin taking doses for the CVS/Walgreens partnership that will be used for the state’s long-term care facilities. Vaccination of residents are expected next week. The remaining portion of the shipment will go to front line healthcare workers at hospitals.
The state’s initial shipment of the Moderna vaccine is about 174,000 doses on a rolling basis beginning on Wednesday and Thursday. So far, outside of Chicago, more than 63,000 people have been vaccinated in the state.