COVID-19 hospitalizations near 1,000

The number of Illinoisans hospitalized with COVID-19 is nearing 1,000 for the first time in nearly three months.

As of Sunday, 996 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, up 41 from Saturday and up 219 from the prior week.

Of the patients in the hospital, 86 were in intensive care units, down five from Saturday and up one from the prior week. Twenty-one percent of Illinois’ ICU beds were available, down 2 percentage points from the prior week.

There were 29 patients on ventilators, down one from Saturday and up seven from the prior week.

Twenty-three counties are rated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as having a “medium” risk of community spread.

Illinois Department of Public Health reported 5,447 new COVID-19 cases and zero deaths on Monday. The new cases bring the state total to 3,226,197, while the death toll remains at 33,710.

The seven-day average for new cases on Monday was 6,065, up 911 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is six, down one from the prior week.

The seven-day case rate per 100,000 people is 47.6, up 7.1 from the prior week.

About 81.5 percent of eligible Illinoisans ages 5 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, while 73.4 percent are fully vaccinated.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 22,134,019 COVID-19 vaccines, including 4,431,767 booster doses. The seven-day average for doses administered is 12,808.