 According to the CDC, eight Illinois Counties are now
rated at the High Community Level for COVID-19 cases and 39 counties
are rated at the Medium Community Level.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,249,534 cases, including
33,761 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of
the pandemic.
As of last night, 1,060 individuals in Illinois were reported to be
in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 116 patients were in the
ICU and 43 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The
preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 315 COVID-19 cases per
100,000 Illinoisans.
“With COVID-19 case counts rising across the state, the public
should understand that they can take action to protect themselves,
their loved ones, and friends,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal
Tokars. “Everyone should make sure they are up-to-date with
vaccinations and booster shots. As we see movement into higher
community risk levels, masking up in indoor public places and
avoiding crowded indoor spaces as much as possible will also make a
difference. And if you test positive, promptly contact a healthcare
provider to discuss which treatment is right for you. The treatments
are much more effective at preventing hospitalizations and deaths
when they are taken early in the course of the illness.”
The CDC reported that following eight Illinois counties are now
listed at the High Community Level; Boone, Lee, Stephenson and
Winnebago in the northern part of the state; and Champaign, Ford,
Peoria and Tazewell in the Center.
In addition, the following are in the Medium Community Level: Cook,
DeKalb, DuPage, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Henry, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall,
Lake, LaSalle, Livingston, Marshall, McHenry, Mercer, Ogle, Putnam,
Rock Island, Stark, Warren, Whiteside, Will and Woodford in the
northern tier of the state; and Calhoun, Coles, Cumberland, DeWitt,
Douglas, Fulton, Jackson, Johnson, Logan, Madison, Mason, Massac,
McLean, Menard, Sangamon and Wabash, in the central and southern
parts of the state.
At the High Community Level, the CDC recommends that all people wear
a well-fitting mask in indoor spaces regardless of vaccination
status. For those at risk at risk of severe outcomes, they should
consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public places,
have a plan for rapid testing if needed, and talk to their
healthcare provider about other precautions they can take.
At the Medium Community Level, persons who are
elderly or immunocompromised (at risk of severe outcomes) are
advised to wear a mask in indoor public places. In addition, they
should make sure to get up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines or get
their 2nd booster, if eligible.
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IDPH has been supporting pharmacies and healthcare
providers in efforts to increase their inventories of the various
FDA-authorized treatments. There are over 1,200 treatment locations
in Illinois - including all the major retail pharmacies. More than
96.7% of the state’s population is within a 10-mile radius of one of
these locations.
A total of 22,200,483 vaccines have been administered in Illinois.
The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is
13,167 doses. Since May 13, 2022, 92,168 doses were reported
administered in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than
76% has received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, more than 69%
of Illinois’ total population is fully vaccinated, and 52% of the
vaccinated population has an initial booster according to data from
the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Data indicates that
the risk of hospitalization and severe outcomes from COVID-19 is
much higher for unvaccinated people than for those who are up to
date on their vaccinations.
State health officials are stressing the following precautions for
those who are at high risk for serious illness:
Get vaccinated and stay up-to-date on recommended booster shots to
protect yourself, your loved ones and friends.
If you are in an area with rising COVID-19 infections, wear a mask
if entering indoor spaces with other people present and consider
avoiding large gatherings.
Stick to well-ventilated areas if you are not wearing a mask indoors
around other people.
If you feel flu-like symptoms, self-isolate and stay home from work
as well as social gatherings; and obtain a test as quickly as
possible.
If you test positive, talk to your provider immediately so you can
get COVID-19 treatment within five days of starting to feel sick.
Also, communicate about the positive result with any persons you
have been in close contact within two days of falling sick or
testing positive.
Continue to frequently wash your hands and cover coughs and sneezes.
All data are provisional and are subject to change. Additional
information and COVID-19 data can be found at https://dph.illinois.gov/covid19.html.
Vaccination is the key to ending this pandemic. To find a COVID-19
vaccination location near you, go to www.vaccines.gov.
The federal government has established a new website that provides
an all-purpose toolkit with information on how to obtain masks,
treatment, vaccines and testing resources for all areas of the
country at: https://www.covid.gov/.
[Illinois Office of Communication and
Information]
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