COVID-19 cases continue upward swing

COVID-19 cases have continued to increase, according to recent data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

As of Sunday, 441 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, down 14 from Saturday and down 40 from the prior week.

Of the COVID-19 patients in the hospital, 70 were in intensive care units, up 12 from Saturday and up six from the prior week. There were 22 patients on ventilators, up seven from Saturday and down five from the prior week.

IDPH reported 1,463 new COVID-19 cases and no deaths on Monday.

The new cases bring the state total to 3,084,904, while the death toll remains at 33,478.

The seven-day average for new cases on Monday was 1,753, up 481 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is 11, up one from the prior week.

All but four of Illinois’ 102 counties are at low risk for COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control’s COVID-19 dashboard. Four southern Illinois counties, Gallatin, Hardin, Pope and Saline, are at high risk.

About 81.2 percent of eligible Illinoisans ages 5 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 72.6 percent are fully vaccinated.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 21,563,961 COVID-19 vaccines, including 4,325,047 booster doses. The seven-day average for doses administered is 19,849.