Twenty-eight counties at high COVID-19 community levels

The number of Illinois counties where masks are recommended in indoor public spaces due to COVID-19 trends continues to decline, according to data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Twenty-eight counties are now at a “high” community level of COVID-19, down two from the prior week. Forty counties are at a “medium” risk level, down 20 from the prior week.

As of Wednesday, 1,322 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, up 13 from Tuesday and up 34 from the prior week.

The Department of Public Health reported 4,092 new COVID-19 cases and 16 new deaths on Thursday. The new cases bring the state total to 3,713,008, while the death toll is at 34,793.

The seven-day average for new cases on Thursday was 2,982, down 686 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is eight, down two from the prior week.

The seven-day case rate per 100,000 people is 23.4, down 5.4 from the prior week.

Illinois vaccinators have administered 23,264,977 COVID-19 vaccine doses, including 4,757,111 booster shots. The seven-day average for doses administered is 2,972.