COVID-19 cases sees decline, 15 counties remain at ‘high’ level of transmission

COVID-19 cases continue to fall in Illinois, though the number of counties at a “high” risk level continues to grow, according to data from the Department of Public Health.

IDPH reported 36,843 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 last week, an 8.3 percent decrease from the prior week. Forty-five more Illinoisans died.

The new cases bring the state total to 3,286,377 cases. There have been 33,806 deaths.

The seven-day average for new cases on Friday was 5,263, down 479 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is six, down two from the prior week.

The seven-day rolling average case rate per 100,000 people is 41.3, down 3.8 from the prior week.

As of Thursday, 1,136 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, up six from Wednesday and up 76 from the prior week.

Of the patients in the hospital, 123 were in intensive care units, down seven from Wednesday and up seven from the prior week. Twenty-two percent of Illinois’ ICU beds were available, up 2 percentage points from the prior week.

There were 35 patients on ventilators, up three from Wednesday and down eight from the prior week.

Fifteen Illinois counties are now at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “high” COVID-19 transmission risk, which recommends that people mask indoors in public spaces. An additional 30 counties are now rated at the “medium” risk level.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 22,310,797 COVID-19 vaccines, including 4,510,812 booster doses. The seven-day average for doses administered is 15,759.

About 60.4 percent of total doses administered went to white Illinoisans, while 15.4 went to Latinx residents, 11.2 percent to Black residents and 7.2 to Asian residents. About 3.1 percent went to those identified as “other races” while 2.2 percent are “unknown.”

Numbers were not updated Monday due to Memorial Day.