The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting only 1,143 new cases of COVID-19 on Monday, the lowest number of cases for a single day since July 28th. An additional 20 deaths were reported, none in South Central Illinois. There was one in St. Clair County in the Metro-East and one in Union County in deep Southern Illinois.
The Marion County Health Department did not issue an update on Monday. Jefferson County reported six new cases over the weekend and Monday. Washington County had three new cases over the same period. Fayette County reported no new cases.
The statewide positivity rate for the past seven days remains at 2.4-percent. The Southern Illinois Region has dropped to 1.7-percent, but ICU bed availability remains at just 20-percent for the third straight day. Marion County’s seven-day positivity rate is just seven-tenths of a percent.
Another 50,8978 doses of the vaccine were administered on Sunday, bringing the number of vaccines administered in the state to 2,756,831.
In other COVID-19 news, the saliva-based test developed by the University of Illinois has received federal emergency use authorization which is expected to result in broader distribution across the state.
