A grim date Thursday in Illinois. The State Department of Public Health reported 8,757 new and probable cases of coronavirus and 177 more deaths from the disease. With those new numbers, the state has now surpassed the 1 million mark at 1,008,045 cases and 17,272 deaths since the pandemic began. The latest Lawrence County Health Department figures show 2,094 positive cases with 86 active. 2 people remain hospitalized with 1,985 recoveries. The death count is stationary at 23. Some potential good news on the COVID-19 front. Governor J.B. Pritzger announced this week that if numbers do not spike, certain regions of Illinois may be able to lift some mitigations come next Friday, January 15th. Those regions would have to achieve certain metrics such as a test positivity rate of 12% or lower for at least three consecutive days. Pritzger says that some areas have seen marked improvement and he hopes that continues.