PEORIA, Ill. — The Peoria-Tazewell-Woodford tri-county region’s positive COVID-19 case count Monday moved up to eight, from five over the weekend.
Two of the new cases were in Peoria, and the other was in Woodford.
That raises Peoria County’s total to five, and Woodford’s to three. Tazewell currently has no confirmed cases, according to the Peoria City/County Health Department Administrator Monica Hendrickson.
There were 55 negative tests and 32 tests are pending.
Hendrickson said just because there is not a confirmed case does not mean that one is not already present in the community.
“The reason why having those larger discussions as a community such as staying home and shelter in place types of policies are really important because you really can’t rely on just confirmed cases,” Hendrickson said. “Understanding that not everyone is going to be tested, [and] really recognizing the fact that for every one person there is going to be a large population that doesn’t.”
The American Red Cross was on-hand at the City/County Health Department’s daily briefing to ask for blood donations.
Regional Chief Executive Officer Lynda Hruska said the country is facing a severe blood shortage.
“To date, more than 6,000 blood drives have been canceled, and these equal 200,000 shortage of blood donations,” Hruska said.
The American Red Cross will still host blood drives. Precautions such as social distancing and keeping donor beds six feet apart will be implemented.
Hruska said snacks are still being provided by gloved cantina workers, and staff and volunteers are automatically given thermometer readings.
Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis encouraged citizens to carry a trash bag with them when they go for walks and pick up litter.
He said that would help for both physical and mental health purposes; getting exercise while also giving people who may not be working a sense of purpose.
