COVID-19 hospitalizations continue downward trend

As of Wednesday, 463 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, down 40 from Tuesday and down 83 from the prior week.

Of the patients in the hospital, 69 were in intensive care units, up four from Tuesday and down 20 from the prior week. There were 28 patients on ventilators, the same as Tuesday and down 10 from the prior week.

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 1,723 new COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths on Thursday.

The new cases bring the state total to 3,059,915, while the death toll is at 33,293.

The seven-day average for new cases on Thursday was 1,160, up 31 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is 16, down two from the prior week.

The seven-day statewide positivity rate for cases as a percent of total tests is 1.3 percent. The seven-day statewide test positivity using the number of COVID-19 positive tests over total tests is 1.4 percent.

About 81.1 percent of eligible Illinoisans ages 5 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 72.3 percent are fully vaccinated.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 21,307,081 COVID-19 vaccines, including 4,255,770 booster doses. The seven-day average for doses administered is 7,441.