Illinois’ hospitalizations drop, cases start rising again

As of Tuesday, 1,201 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, down 17 from Monday and down 60 from the prior week.

Of the patients in the hospital, 121 were in intensive care units, up 10 from Monday and down six from the prior week. Twenty-one percent of Illinois’ ICU beds were available, down two from the prior week.

There were 36 patients on ventilators, up three from Monday and down three from 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 at the “medium” risk level.

The Department of Public Health reported 4,901 new COVID-19 cases and 21 deaths on Wednesday. The new cases bring the state total to 3,342,542, while the death toll is at 33,904.

The seven-day average for new cases on Wednesday was 5,111, up 482 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is ten, up four from the prior week.

The seven-day case rate per 100,000 people is 40.1, up 3.8 from the prior week.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 22,457,594 COVID-19 vaccines, including 4,550,995 booster doses. The seven-day average for doses administered is 13,051.