Fifteen counties now at “high” level of COVID-19 transmission

Fifteen Illinois counties are now at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “high” COVID transmission risk, including Cook County and the greater Chicago region.

Boone, Cook, DuPage, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Knox, Lake, Lee, Mason, McHenry, Peoria, Tazewell, Will and Winnebago are now at the level where the CDC recommends that people mask indoors in public spaces.

“Everyone in the state should be paying close attention to the guidance from public health authorities and taking action to protect themselves, their loved ones, and friends,” Department of Public Health acting Director Amaal Tokars said in a statement.

Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady told reporters Thursday they will follow that recommendation, but reiterated the city is still nowhere close to mandating indoor masking.

“While there isn’t a mandate in place, we ask everybody for this short time period while we’re in high to put that mask on, especially if you’re an indoor crowded setting,” Arwady said, adding that residents should avoid higher-risk activities and large gatherings.

Chicago is averaging about 28 daily COVID-related hospitalizations, compared to over 300 daily hospitalizations during the peak of the pandemic.

Arwady said she is optimistic the current mini-surge is starting to slow. The seven-day average for new daily cases is 1,082, down 17.2 percent from the prior week.

As of Wednesday, 1,130 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, down eight from Tuesday and up 47 from the prior week.

Of the patients in the hospital, 130 were in intensive care units, up 10 from Tuesday and up 30 from the prior week. Twenty-one percent of Illinois’ ICU beds were available, down one percentage point from the prior week.

There were 32 patients on ventilators, down three from Tuesday and up two from the prior week.

IDPH reported 6,358 new COVID-19 cases and two deaths on Thursday. The new cases bring the state total to 3,280,718, while the death toll is at 33,798.

The seven-day average for new cases on Thursday was 5,125, down 1,148 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is seven, the same as the prior week.

The seven-day case rate per 100,000 people is 40.2, down 9 from the prior week.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 22,293,645 COVID-19 vaccines, including 4,507,201 booster doses. The seven-day average for doses administered is 15,443.

Arwady said health officials are concerned with booster uptake, with only 42 percent of eligible residents receiving their boosters.

“I really, really want to emphasize as we move into this higher risk state that we need Chicagoans to come up to date with boosters,” she said.