Five counties at ‘high’ COVID-19 level

Five Illinois counties are at the level where federal health officials urge masking in indoor public spaces due to COVID-19 trends, according to data released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Ford, Ogle, Pike, Stephenson and Vermilion counties are at a “high” community level of COVID-19 spread, up two from the prior week.

Thirty-three counties are now at a “medium” risk level, up seven from the prior week.

As of Wednesday, 1,153 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, up four from Tuesday and up 152 from the prior week.

The Department of Public Health reported 1,566 new COVID-19 cases and 18 deaths on Thursday. The new cases bring the state total to 3,806,231, while the death toll is at 35,226.

The seven-day average for new cases on Thursday was 1,869, up 313 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths is nine, up two from the prior week.

The seven-day case rate per 100,000 people is 14.7, up 2.5 from the prior week.

About 74.4 percent of Illinoisans over the age of 5 are fully vaccinated. There have been 4,995,627 total booster doses administered, with the seven-day average for daily COVID-19 doses administered at 28,523.