Illinois health officials announce 30,633 new COVID-19 cases, 46 deaths over the past week
Masks still optional — including in schools — as Chicago moves to ‘medium risk’ COVID-19 category
Face coverings will remain optional in Chicago’s indoor spaces, including public schools, even as rising cases mean there’s now a "medium risk" of COVID-19 transmission in the city under federal health guidelines.
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Illinois health officials reported 30,633 new COVID-19 cases, including 46 deaths, over the past week.
IDPH is reporting a total of 3,169,315 cases, including 33,660 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of the pandemic.
As of Thursday night, 808 individuals in Illinois were in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 66 were in the ICU and 24 patients with COVID were on ventilators.
The preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 240 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 Illinoisans, health officials said.
CHICAGO MOVES TO 'MEDIUM RISK' COVID-19 CATEGORY
The case rate has been slowly rising in the state, and 14 Illinois counties have a medium community level of COVID-19, officials said.
The counties include Champaign, Cook, DeKalb, Douglas, DuPage, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Logan, McHenry, McLean, Sangamon, Will, and Winnebago.
At this level, persons who are elderly or immunocompromised are advised to wear a mask in indoor public places, health officials said.
"The public should pay close attention to these rising Community Levels, but we would stress this not a cause for alarm," said IDPH Acting Director Amaal Tokars. "People who are at risk of severe outcomes should exercise caution."
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"And if someone does test positive, then they should consult with a healthcare provider about obtaining a prescription for one of the therapeutic treatments that are widely available. The treatments are much more effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths when they are taken early in the course of the illness."
State health officials said more than 76% of Illinois' total population have received at least one vaccine dose and more than 68% are fully vaccinated. More than half of Illinois residents have received the booster shot, health officials said.
Additional information and COVID-19 data can be found here: https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.