COVID-19 cases decline as number of counties at ‘high’ risk level rises
COVID-19 cases continue to fall in Illinois, according to data from the Department of Public Health, but nearly half of the state’s counties are now at a “high” or “medium” risk level for spread.
IDPH reported 32,605 confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 last week, an 11.5 percent decrease from the prior week. Forty-seven more Illinoisans died.
The new cases bring the state total to 3,318,982 cases. There have been 33,853 deaths.
The seven-day average for new cases on Friday was 4,658, down 605 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is seven, up one from the prior week.
The seven-day rolling average case rate per 100,000 people is 36.6, down 4.7 from the prior week.
As of Thursday, 1,227 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, down 40 from Wednesday and up 91 from the prior week.
Of the patients in the hospital, 114 were in intensive care units, down four from Wednesday and down nine from the prior week. Twenty-two percent of Illinois’ ICU beds were available, the same as the prior week.
There were 35 patients on ventilators, up two from Wednesday and the same as the prior week.
Nineteen Illinois counties are now at “high” COVID-19 transmission risk, the level at which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people mask indoors in public spaces. An additional 31 counties are now rated at the “medium” risk level.
“At this time, we are all wise to put on our masks in indoor public spaces and avoid indoor crowded spaces as much as possible,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars.
Illinois vaccinators have administered 22,402,533 COVID-19 vaccines, including 4,536,742 booster doses. The seven-day average for doses administered is 12,375.
About 60.5 percent of total doses administered went to white Illinoisans, while 15.3 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.”
