PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria City/County Health Department announced Friday one new death in Peoria County and two new positive COVID-19 cases in Tazewell County.
The new death reported was a woman in her 80s. The woman was a close contact to the first death related to COVID-19 in Peoria County, according to Public Health Administrator Monica Hendrickson.
The Tri-County death total is now at five with two in Peoria County and three in Tazewell County.
There are now 23 cases in Tazewell County, 34 in Peoria County, and 11 in Woodford County.
15 of the 34 confirmed cases in Peoria County have recovered, 14 are in home isolation, three are hospitalized and there are now two deaths.
Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth said during the health department’s daily briefing that having wider spread testing in the Peoria area at Heartland Health Services is a great asset for the community.
Heartland Health Services CEO Sharon Adams announced that they will have three collection sites, with the first one opening on Tuesday, April 21 at their location in East Bluff.
The second site will open April 25 at the Peoria City/County Health Department on weekends.
The last site will open at the John H. Gwynn Jr. Park on April 27.
Both drive-up and walk-up services will be provided.
People that go wanting a test will be put into four groups, depending on exposure to the virus. All four groups must show symptoms.
Dr. Gregg Stoner says not everyone who wants a test will get one. He says the state has continued to instruct them that only those who are showing symptoms should be tested.
A private lab in Pekin will be the location where the specimens collected are sent, and they have promised a 24-hour result time, according to Stoner.
Adams said they are continuing to work with the state of Illinois as they figure out how many tests will be needed, and they have asked for 150 tests per day at each site.
The sites will be outdoors as long as the weather holds, said Adams. However, in the drive-up, people being tested will be able to remain in their vehicles.
