Health and Medicine

Tri-County health officials on Wednesday reported 369 new COVID-19 cases, as the test positivity rate spikes in Peoria County.

The Tri-County area opened up universal COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for people ages 16 and older on Monday. While officials say most people should take whichever vaccine is offered to them, 16 and 17-year-olds must be a little choosier.

With Peoria County on the verge of topping 100,000 vaccinations, Tri-County health officials Tuesday reported 172 new COVID-19 cases in the past day.

The Peoria area is struggling with its latest wave of COVID-19.

A rural Peoria County health care provider hopes to soon offer a COVID-19 vaccination clinic for the surrounding community.

One out of every five adults in all three counties in the Tri-County area is now fully vaccinated for COVID-19, while hospitalizations for coronavirus infections continue to rise.

Peoria-area hospitals are currently treating the most patients admitted for COVID-19 in more than two months, while the Tri-County area saw an increase of more than 4,100 vaccine doses administered in the past day.

Hospitalizations for COVID-19 in the Tri-County area have nearly tripled in the past three weeks.

Tri-County public health officials on Monday reported one new death linked to COVID-19, while the region added more than 5,400 administered vaccine shots and 2,100 fully-dosed residents over the weekend.

Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford County health departments will open up COVID-19 vaccinations to all people 16 and older starting on April 5.

COVID-19 numbers are heading the wrong way again in the Peoria area.

The Tri-County area is now past 164,000 administered doses of COVID-19 vaccines and 65,000 fully vaccinated residents, while a Tazewell County man in his 70s became the Tri-County's latest victim linked to the pandemic.

Tri-County health officials on Wednesday reported 167 new COVID-19 cases in the past day, as the region surged past 18% of residents now fully vaccinated and Illinois topped the 5-million mark for administered doses.

Two Peoria County women are the area’s latest COVID-19 fatalities, as the county stands on the brink of topping 90,000 administered vaccine doses and 40,000 fully vaccinated residents.

Tri-County public health officials on Monday reported 185 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend, with Peoria County adding 140 more infections since Friday. Meanwhile, the area has exceeded 162,000 administered doses of COVID-19 vaccines and almost 18% of residents fully vaccinated.

Tri-County health officials on Friday reported 149 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, with the region on track to surpass 160,000 administered vaccine doses before the end of the weekend.

Peoria City/County Health Department Administrator Monica Hendrickson says the Tri-County area is prepared to meet the state's goal of offering COVID vaccines to all people ages 16 and older come April 12.

The Tri-County death toll from COVID-19 increased by two Thursday after case reviews identified additional December fatalities from Woodford County.

All Illinoisans 16 years of age and older outside of Chicago will be eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations beginning April 12, and the state announced a “metric-based” phase-in to greater reopening Thursday.

Tri-County health officials on Wednesday reported 99 new COVID-19 cases in the past 24 hours, but no new deaths linked to the pandemic for a second straight day.

Tri-County health officials on Monday reported one new death linked to COVID-19 in the past three days, while state records show close to 7,700 vaccine doses administered since Friday.

Hopedale Medical Complex is among nine rural critical access hospitals statewide receiving direct COVID-19 vaccine allocations under a new safety net program.

Bradley University commencement ceremonies will be held in-person this spring.

Tri-County health officials on Thursday reported no new fatalities linked to COVID-19, along with 89 new infections in the area, while the area’s fully vaccinated population approached 15%.  

The South Side Mission is partnering with Walgreens to administer 400 Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines beginning this weekend.

The Tri-County area eclipsed two more milestones with COVID-19 vaccinations topping 50,000 residents fully vaccinated and 135,000 doses administered.