Illinois IDs first case of omicron variant

Illinois has identified its first confirmed case of the omicron COVID-19 variant, health officials announced Tuesday evening.

The Chicago resident is a known contact of a confirmed omicron case from another state who visited the city. The Chicagoan, who is fully vaccinated with a booster dose, did not require hospitalization and has self-isolated since their symptoms began.

Officials noted the variant “contains a large number of mutations” and has been classified as a variant of concern by the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Public health experts and scientists worldwide continue to study the newest variant, omicron, to determine if it spreads more easily, causes more severe illness, and how effective the current vaccines are against it,” Illinois Department of Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said. “While we don’t have all the answers right now, we know the general prevention strategies we’ve been recommending – vaccination, boosters, masking, testing, physical distancing – are our best protection against the virus and its variants.”

Gov. JB Pritzker urged Illinoisans to remain vigilant and to “make a plan for how to best protect themselves and their loved ones, especially in the holiday season.”

The announcement comes after IDPH reported 78 more deaths on Tuesday, the highest single-day number of COVID-related deaths since 102 were reported Feb. 11.

The death toll is now at 26,698.

The agency also reported 7,068 new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 1,861,254.

The seven-day average for new cases is 7,340, up 3,050 from a week ago. The seven-day average for daily deaths is 41, up 24 from the prior week.

As of Monday, 3,029 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, up 187 from Sunday and up 650 from the prior week. It’s the first time hospitalizations have eclipsed 3,000 since 3,001 were reported on Jan. 25.

Of the patients in the hospital, 610 were in the ICU, up 31 from Sunday and up 153 from the prior week. There were 272 patients on ventilators, up 16 from Sunday and up 55 as the prior week.

The seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a percent of total tests is 4.6 percent. The seven-day statewide test positivity using the number of COVID-19 positive tests over total tests is 5.5 percent.

About 74.3 percent of eligible Illinoisans ages 5 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 66.2 percent are fully vaccinated.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 17,768,693 COVID-19 vaccines, per state data. The seven-day average of doses administered is 69,951.