'High' level of Covid-19 spread reported in Chicago's collar counties
DUPAGE COUNTY - According to the CDC, 58 Illinois counties are now rated at "High" for community level of transmission for COVID-19 — an area that includes most of the counties in northern Illinois, as well as counties around Peoria, Champaign, Metro East and Quincy.
An additional 36 counties are rated at "Medium" community level of transmission.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,528,282 cases, including 34,309 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.
As of last night, 1,453 individuals in Illinois were reported to be in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 145 patients were in the ICU and 46 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 253 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans.
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The counties listed at "High" for community level of transmission are Cook, DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Lee, McHenry, Stephenson, Whiteside, Will, and Winnebago in northern Illinois; Adams, Champaign, Clark, Coles, Cumberland, Douglas, Edgar, Ford, Fulton, Hancock, Henderson, Knox, Marshall, Mason, McLean, Peoria, Pike, Tazewell, Vermillion, and Warren in central Illinois; and Alexander, Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Crawford, Franklin, Gallatin, Hardin, Jackson, Jersey, Johnson, Lawrence, Macoupin, Madison, Massac, Montgomery, Perry, Pope, Pulaski, Randolph, Saline, St. Clair, Union, Wabash and Williamson in southern Illinois.
DuPage is one of 58 counties on the list for "High" community level spread of COVID-19.
"We have much more Covid than what this relates and that is pretty high," said Karen Ayala, Executive Director of the DuPage County Health Department.
The number is likely higher because of at-home tests not being reported to local and state health officials.
Case count in DuPage is at 38 per 100,000 people — that’s higher than more populated Cook County.
In DuPage, there has been two deaths reported for this week.
Statewide COVID numbers over the past week are down. Acting Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health Dr. Amaal Tokars says it’s important to look at how many people are being hospitalized.
"We are seeing hospitalizations go up all across Illinois," said Dr. Tokars.
COVID has mutated and now the BA.5 variant is taking over, showing signs of higher transmissibility and that’s not all.
"It is within its properties to evade our immunity," said Dr. Tokars. "It is important to be up-to-date. Being up-to-date doesn’t mean we won’t get COVID."