News Updates

This page contains previously-released information and news updates relating to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) in Peoria, Tazewell, and Woodford Counties. For the most updated daily information on cases and statistics in the Tri-County area, please visit our main COVID-19 Page.

Weekly COVID-19 Video Updates

  • November 4, 2020 - The State of Illinois has put COVID-19 mitigation measures in place for our region, Region 2. This includes changes to the current Phase 4 mitigations on gatherings, bars, and restaurants. View the PDF of the State of Illinois guidelines at https://dceoresources-ss-assets.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/public/Restore-Illinois/COVID-19-Resurgence-Migitations.pdf
  • September 30, 2020 - Illinois Department of Public Health Issues COVID-19 Halloween Festivities Guidance - The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has issued new guidance for Halloween Festivities taking place this year. Click here to view a complete press release with guidance and information for trick-or-treating, gatherings, costume parties, haunted houses, and more.
  • September 24, 2020 - NEW Guidance for Small Gatherings During Upcoming Cooler Weather/Holiday Season - The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has released new guidance on small social gatherings, including important information and recommendations for families who may be making plans for the upcoming holiday season. Click here to view the new public health recommendations for small gatherings from the IDPH website,
  • September 4, 2020 - The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) announced on September 4, 2020 that a slowdown in data processing within the IDPH system affected some reporting of COVID-19 tests due to the large volume of testing in Illinois. The IDPH data processing systems have been updated, and a short delay did occur in reporting some of the State's aggregate numbers. However, this did not affect the reporting of positive or negative results to individuals who were tested. Additional details can be viewed on the IDPH website.
  • June 25, 2020 - On Friday, June 26, Illinois moves into Phase Four of Governor Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan. RestoreHOI.com has been updated with the latest guidance from local and state public health officials for Phase 4. Businesses and organizations are encouraged to self-certify at RestoreHOI.com as COVID-19 compliant to allow members of the public to support businesses that are taking steps to provide a safe and healthy environment for their customers. Phase 4 allows restaurants to offer indoor dining and expands gathering limits from 10 people to groups of 50 people or less. This phase allows many businesses, venues, and meeting spaces to reopen with limited capacity until a vaccine or treatment plan for COVID-19 are widely available.
  • May 5, 2020 - Governor Pritzker Announces ’Restore Illinois: A Public Health Approach to Safely Reopen Our State’
    • Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has officially published and launched ’Restore Illinois: A Public Health Approach to Safely Reopen Our State.’ This plan includes five (5) phases of reopening, all guided by health metrics and with distinct business, education, and recreational activities characterizing each proposed phase. A PDF document with complete details from the Governor’s Office can be found here. (Please note: this is a large document and may take a while to load, especially from a mobile device).
  • May 5, 2020 - Central Illinois Physicians Encouraging Plasma Donation From Those Recovered From COVID-19
    • The University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP), OSF Healthcare, and UnityPoint Health have released information regarding plasma donation from recovered COVID-19 patients. These plasma donations from those recovered could potentially help treat patients who are currently fighting the virus, particularly those who are very sick or in hospital intensive care units. 
    • A complete press release sent from the University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria (UICOMP) can be found here.
    • A flyer with additional information can be found here.
  • April 18, 2020 - Peoria County Unveils New Geographic Information System (GIS) Map for Tri-County COVID-19 Cases
    • In addition to daily COVID-19 counts for the tri-county area, new Geographic Information System (GIS) maps for Peoria County now display a dashboard for a visual explanation of local community spread. Rooted in the science of geography, GIS integrates data with location to provide maps and data in a visual way. You can view the COVID-19 GIS map here on the Peoria City/County Health Department’s main COVID-19 page.
  • April 4, 2020 - First COVID-19 Death in Peoria County
  • March 24, 2020 - Homemade Mask Donations
    • The Peoria County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is directing all inquiries regarding homemade/hand-sewn masks to Heart of Illinois 2-1-1. If you or your group would like to donate, please call 2-1-1 or (309) 999-4029. We ask that you please do not make arrangements to drop off mask donations without contacting HOI 2-1-1 first, as their space and resources are limited and we do not want to overwhelm their employees. Thank you for your understanding.
  • March 18, 2020 - Understanding COVID-19 Investigations 
    • The Peoria City/County Health Department has released information to help the public understand COVID-19 Investigations. As this COVID-19 virus spreads, our community should not be focused on whether they have been exposed, but act as though they havebeen exposed and take measures to decrease the transmission. A press release from the Peoria City/Health Department regarding COVID-19 investigations can be found here.