Illinois Public Health officials have announced an additional 66 deaths on Friday passing the 12,000 mark for COVID-19 related deaths. The additional 7,574 confirmed cases also pushed the state over the 700,000 mark for positive cases.
There were four deaths in South Central Illinois among the 66 recorded statewide. They include a female in her 90s in Clay County, a male in his 80s in Clinton County, a female in her 60s in Fayette County, and a previously reported female in her 70s in Marion County.
The Associated Press says it took just nine days for public health officials to log 1,000 deaths, matching the deadliest period previously in the pandemic in late April and early May.
After a quiet summer lulled some into complacency, the virus aggressively returned in October. Illinois marked its 11,000th death on Nov. 18, with 1000 fatalities coming in just 13 days, then topped 12,000 in nine days.
