PEORIA, Ill. — Region Two, of which Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties are all a part, rose Friday to an 8.5% rolling seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate.
When a region has been at 8% or higher for three days, the Illinois Department of Public Health places that region into mitigation phase.
During a mitigation phase, bars and restaurants of the respective region are strictly prohibited from serving customers indoors.
Any outdoor service must end at 11 P.M. This is also the time casinos must close.
Outdoor seating is allowed, but by reservation only.
Peoria City/County Health Department reported 125 tri-county residents between Thursday and Friday tested positive.
Tazewell had the highest count, 50. Peoria reported 40, and Woodford recorded 35.
The highest case count in the tri-county wasn’t the only unfortunate news for Tazewell, as a county man in his 60s passed away from virus complications. He did not live in long-term care.
As was the case Thursday, 91 people as of Friday afternoon were in area hospitals. 20 of them were in intensive care.
The area recovery rate fell to 80.83%.
