More than two-thirds of Illinois counties seeing ‘elevated’ COVID-19 levels

More than two-thirds of Illinois counties are now at elevated COVID-19 levels, according to data released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The agency recommends wearing a mask in 29 Illinois counties, up 17 from a week ago, and that those at high risk of severe illness from the virus take precautions in 45 counties, down six from a week ago.

Department of Public Health Director Dr. Sameer Vohra in a statement urged Illinoisans to take heightened caution against illness as they head into the winter.

“These elevated COVID-19 community levels, along with rising flu levels, are leading to a surge of respiratory infections and increased hospitalizations,” he said.

The seven-day average for new cases on Friday was 3,058, up 130 from the prior week. The seven-day average for daily deaths was eight, the same as the prior week. So far, there have been a total of 3,906,801 cases, including 35,550 deaths.

The seven-day rolling average case rate per 100,000 people is 24, up 1 from the prior week.

As of Thursday, 1,582 Illinoisans were in the hospital with COVID-19, down 42 from Wednesday and up 73 from the prior week.

Of Illinois’ total population, more than 78 percent have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and more than 70 percent have completed their primary series of COVID-19 vaccines. Of eligible Illinoisans, more than 16 percent have received the bivalent booster dose.

The Chicago Department of Public Health said more than 455,000 booster doses were administered to Chicagoans as of Dec. 7. Of those eligible for vaccines, 36.5 percent of white residents have received them, compared to 26.6 percent of Asian residents, 19.8 percent of Black residents and 15 percent of Latinx residents.

CDPH Commissioner Dr. Allison Arwady said she is pleased the federal government has approved the COVID-19 booster vaccines for children age 6 months and up, but she remains concerned with the current uptake among older residents.

“Two out of every three Chicagoans over age 65 have not gotten their booster and most likely have not gotten their flu shot either,” she said. “The people most likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 are those who have not gotten a booster — especially if they are older.”

Meanwhile, BQ.1.1 continues to be the dominant strain of COVID-19 in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio and Wisconsin, according to estimates from the CDC:

Variant proportions at the end of last week were: