How does Knox County's rate of new COVID cases compare with area counties?
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GALESBURG — COVID-19 cases dipped for a third straight week in Knox County, this time dropping 30 percent from the previous week.
The Illinois Department of Public Health showed 68 news cases for the week ending Sunday and a total of 7,875 for Knox County. The rate of new cases has declined in eight of the last nine weeks. The last increase was the week ending Nov. 5, when cases shot up 19%.
The Thanksgiving holiday could have lowered the number of people who got tested, how many people got tested, what labs operated and what government agencies reported on time.
Since Nov. 5, the weekly rate of COVID cases has been cut in half, from 137 cases Nov. 5 to 68 cases last week. No deaths were reported last week, leaving the total COVID-19 deaths in Knox County at 177.
While new cases continue to decline, Knox County's rate of new cases per 100K is 162, far above the state’s threshold of 50. The rate, though, is down from 239 Nov. 5.
Knox County’s rate for new cases is lower than all but one of 10 area counties. Warren County’s rate is lowest in the area at 123 per 100K.
More: COVID cases continue decline in Knox County, despite uptick in Illinois
Rate of new cases per 110K
• Warren County - 123
• Knox County - 162
• McDonough County - 190
• Fulton County - 215
• Peoria County - 231
• Henderson County - 253
• Tazewell County - 306
• Henry County - 312
• Stark County - 332
• Mercer County - 340
Illinois cases down 25%
Illinois reported far fewer coronavirus cases in the week ending Sunday, adding 21,034 new cases. That's down 25.6% from the previous week's tally of 28,280 new cases of the virus that causes COVID-19.
Illinois ranked 26th among the states where coronavirus was spreading the fastest on a per-person basis, a USA TODAY Network analysis of Johns Hopkins University data shows. In the latest week coronavirus cases in the United States decreased 24.9% from the week before, with 490,656 cases reported. With 3.81% of the country's population, Illinois had 4.29% of the country's cases in the last week. Across the country, three states had more cases in the latest week than they did in the week before.
ICU availability at warning level
Hospital intensive care unit availability in Knox County remains in the warning level at 17.9%. The state’s benchmark for ICU availability is 20%. Five patients were admitted into local hospitals with COVID-like symptoms in the past week.
Two school outbreaks have been reported, both with fewer than five cases each. The outbreaks are at Hedding Grade School in Abingdon and Knoxville Junior High School.
Outbreak information is reported once clusters of cases are confirmed to be linked by location and time (within 14 days).
Health officials recommend booster
The percentage of the Knox County population that is fully vaccinated is at 52.8. Some 57% of residents have received at least one shot, and 14.8% of the population has received a booster shot.
Of the 7,448 who have received a booster shot, 4,797 (65%) are over age 65. Those from 18-64 account for 2,565 of the booster shots. In Knox County, 295 children ages 5-11 have received at least one vaccination shot.
The Knox County Health Department recommends that anyone 18 and older get a COVID-19 booster dose six months after receiving their second Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or two months after receiving the one-dose Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine.
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Vaccination clinics planned
Registration for vaccinations can be found at www.knoxcountyhealth.org. Unified Command Vaccine Center Clinics planned are as follows:
• Tuesday, Nov. 30, at the Unified Command Vaccine Center 1:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m.
Clinic offers primary series, additional doses, and boosters of Moderna, Pfizer, and Janssen for adults 18 years and up. Pfizer primary series is available to those 12 years of age and up.
• Thursday, Dec. 2, at the Unified Command Vaccine Center 8:30a.m.-10:30 a.m.
Clinic offers primary series, additional doses, and boosters of Moderna, Pfizer, and Janssen for adults 18 years and up. Pfizer primary series is available to those 12 years of age and up.
• Thursday, Dec. 2, second Walk-in Booster Clinic at the Unified Command Vaccine Center 12:30 p.m.-4:30 p.m. Clinic offers booster of Moderna, Pfizer, and Janssen for adults 18 years of age and up.
• Tuesday, Dec. 7, Walk-in Booster Clinic at the Unified Command Vaccine Center 7 a.m.-11:30 a.m. Clinic offers booster of Moderna, Pfizer, and Janssen for adults 18 years of age and up.
Additional dose vaccines (Moderna and Pfizer) are being administered to those who self-attest to being immune-compromised and those on immunosuppressant therapy at ALL Knox County Unified Vaccine Clinics and events. Third dose vaccines must be given at least 28 days after the second dose. The additional vaccine dose should be the same as the initial two-dose vaccine.
Curbside testing available
The Health Department continues to offer Curbside COVID-19 Testing on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.; appointments are made same day by calling (309) 344-2225 beginning at 7:15 a.m. Additionally, health care providers in the community are offering testing options as well as local pharmacies.
This article originally appeared on Galesburg Register-Mail: New COVID cases down for third week; 15% received booster
