The percentage of COVID-19 deaths in Illinois linked to long-term care facilities has grown, according to the latest state data.
As of Friday, 3,433 deaths have been reported among those facilities’ residents and workers. That accounted for 54.8 percent of the state’s 6,260 COVID-related deaths reported that day.
The percentage of deaths linked to long-term care facilities has risen from last week, when it was 52 percent. At least 20,550 long-term care facility residents or workers have tested positive for COVID-19.
Illinois officials reported 48 more COVID-19 related deaths over the weekend, bringing the state’s total death count to 6,308. Sunday’s 19 reported deaths were the lowest since April 2, when there were 16 reported deaths.
An additional 1,345 total cases were reported over the weekend, bringing the state’s total to 132,543 in 101 counties.
As of Sunday, a total of 1,190,985 COVID-19 tests have been completed. The positivity rate for tests over the past seven days is 3 percent.
Forty-three percent of Illinois’ 35,140 hospital beds were available as of Sunday morning. Forty-six percent of the state’s 3,882 ICU beds were available, as were 76 percent of its 5,983 ventilators. All four regions of the state remain on track to enter phase four of Gov. JB Pritzker’s reopening plan by June 26.
Despite the positive trends, Pritzker announced Friday the cancellation of this year’s Illinois and Du Quoin State Fairs.
“This is the right choice based on guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health and other experts: We have to prioritize keeping our people safe,” he said in a statement.
The two annual fairs attracted over 600,000 visitors combined last year. It is the first time Illinois has canceled its state fair since World War II.
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