PEORIA, Ill. – Peoria City/County Health Department Administrator Monica Hendrickson is more than a little frustrated by this point in the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I’m still…not understanding, both personally and professionally, how something that is proven to be so effective is not being utilized,” said Hendrickson.
Hendrickson, in what will again be a weekly COVID-19 update, is referring to not getting a COVID vaccine, or even wearing a mask, since she says nothing will completely return to normal otherwise.
The Tri-County area saw an increase in the number of total COVID cases of 804, to 49,360. 788 people have died. Hospitals Thursday reported five deaths in the last 24 hours.
1,212 people are considered in active isolation, up from 931 a week prior.
18 patients currently are in the ICU, while 62 hospitalized patients are not in the ICU.
51 COVID patients are currently hospitalized, up from 37 last week.
The new seven-day rolling new case average is at 115.
In Peoria County alone, Hendrickson says there have been 25,087 COVID cases, up 361 in the last week. Of new cases, roughly 30% are among those age 0-19, while 17% are in the 20-29 age group. 48.8% of residents are considered to be fully vaccinated. Hendrickson says the vast majority of COVID cases are among the non-vaccinated.
Hospitals are once again feeling more than just a pinch due to COVID-19.
Jennifer Hopwood, the Chief Nursing Officer at OSF HealthCare St. Francis Medical Center, says what’s more she’s never seen something spread like wildfire, the way COVID is.
“Pre-COVID, our general floors and our ICU’s were very busy. We typically moved one patient out to get one patient in,” said Hopwood. “What’s different today is that we have never seen one diagnosis account for so many admissions in those areas for such a significant amount of time.”
Hopwood says St. Francis is currently at 90 percent capacity, and only one percent of ICU beds are available. Of 43 patients with COVID currently, she says 11 are in the ICU.
