Though state officials eased COVID-19 restrictions Friday on the Peoria region, it doesn t mean the disease is yet fully on its way out.
Local health officials announced eight additional deaths in the Tri-County Area on Friday, bringing the death toll locally to 467.
It closed out a week that started with the announcement of 15 deaths and then tapered, with low death tolls announced throughout the middle of the week before an upswing again at the week s end.
Hospitalization numbers, meanwhile, continued to gradually decrease, down by three from the prior day the intensive-care unit count declining by one to a total Friday of 24, while there were two fewer regular hospital beds occupied at a total of 72.
Tri-County health officials on Friday reported eight new COVID-19-related deaths, including six victims from Tazewell County.
The latest fatalities bring the region’s death toll since the start of the pandemic to 475, up from 400 reported in the health departments’ last 2020 update on Dec. 30.
Officials reported 274 additional coronavirus infections, bringing the case count to 29,883 since mid-March and 1,437 illnesses in the past week. Active cases moved to 2,781, with 96 patients in Peoria-area hospitals, including 24 in intensive care units.
Five of the six Tazewell County victims were men, including two residents of Aperion Morton Villa – one of whom was in his 40s. The sixth was a woman in her 80s from Generations at Riverview in East Peoria. A Peoria County woman in her 90s from Cornerstone and a Woodford County woman in her 80s also succumbed to the disease.
Top Regional News: Some Illinois counties entering next phase of vaccine distribution
Illinois News Desk
Some Illinois counties entering next phase of vaccine distribution
SPRINGFIELD Some regions of the state could see loosened COVID-19 restrictions as early as Friday as some counties have already transitioned to the next phase of vaccine distribution, Gov. JB Pritzker announced Monday.
Although the state remains in Phase 1A of its vaccine distribution plan, some communities which have substantially completed Phase 1A have moved to the early stages of Phase 1B.
“We want to make sure any available vaccine is administered quickly to the priority groups that we’ve laid out,” Pritzker said. “Let’s get those out to Phase 1B people. . Even though we haven’t moved everybody into the next phase, we don’t want any of these vaccines sitting around.”
Female in her 80s, resident of Apostolic Christian Restmor in Morton
Male, 90s, a resident of Pekin Manor
Female, 90s, a resident of Aperion Morton Villa
Woodford County reported one death, a male in his 80s.
Overall, 319 new cases of COVID-19 were announced Friday across the tri-county.
164 of those were in Peoria, 124 in Tazewell and 31 new cases came up in Woodford.
On a good note, there were 22 fewer people in area hospitals with the virus Friday compared to the day prior.
One additional person is in the ICU for COVID-19, but there was a 23 patient decrease for COVID-19 in non-ICU beds.