The entire state will soon be under heightened restrictions to address the spike in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations.
Gov. JB Pritzker announced mitigations starting Wednesday for the north-central region, which includes Peoria and Bloomington, after its seven-day positivity rate surpassed 8 percent for three straight days. The restrictions prohibit bars and restaurants from having indoor service and require them to close outdoor services by 11 p.m. Gatherings must be capped at 25 people or 25 percent of room capacity.
The region’s seven-day positivity rate was 9.3 percent as of last Thursday.
Increased restrictions take effect in the east-central region of Illinois on Monday, which includes Champaign and Decatur. The restrictions, announced Friday, are due to the region having a seven-day positivity rate of 8 percent for three straight days. Its positivity rate was also 9.3. percent as of last Thursday.
“This new wave of COVID-19 has not spared any corner of our state – or our nation,” Pritzker tweeted Sunday. “We all have to act responsibly and collectively to protect the people we love.”
Illinois saw nearly 15,000 new COVID-19 cases over the weekend, including a single-day high of 7,899 on Saturday.
Saturday’s count, which came after 92,636 tests were processed over a 24 hour-period, surpassed the previous single-day high of 6,943 set on Friday.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported a total of 417,280 COVID-19 cases.
The state’s death toll is at 9,792 after 81 more deaths were reported over the weekend.
As of Saturday night, 3,294 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, an increase of 689 from last week. Of the patients in the hospital this week, 692 were in the ICU and 284 patients were on ventilators.
The seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a percent of total tests was 8 percent on Sunday, a 1.9 percent increase from last week.
The department also announced Friday the state surpassed 5,000 COVID-19 deaths at long-term care facilities after an additional 108 deaths over the past week.
The new deaths bring the total number of COVID-19 deaths linked to Illinois long-term care facilities to 5,127. The 108 deaths reported were down from the 131 deaths reported the prior week.
At least 34,278 long-term care facility residents or workers have tested positive for COVID-19, an increase of 838 from the prior week.