 CHICAGO – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)
today reported 34,001 new confirmed and probable cases of
coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 73 deaths
since June 3, 2022.
According to the CDC, 32 Illinois counties are now rated at High
Community Level for COVID-19, an area that includes Chicago, Cook
County and surrounding counties in northeastern Illinois as well as
counties around Bloomington, Peoria and Springfield and far Southern
Illinois. An additional 39 counties in Illinois are now rated at
Medium Community Level, the CDC reports.
Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 3,352,983 cases, including
33,926 deaths, in 102 counties in Illinois since the beginning of
the pandemic.
As of last night, 1,189 individuals in Illinois were reported to be
in the hospital with COVID-19. Of those, 124 patients were in the
ICU and 27 patients with COVID-19 were on ventilators. The
preliminary seven-day statewide case rate is 267 COVID-19 cases per
100,000 Illinoisans.
The counties listed at High Community Level are Cook, DuPage, Kane,
Kendall, Lake, McHenry, Boone, DeKalb, Lee, Ogle and Winnebago in
northern Illinois; Brown, Cass, Champaign, Ford, Fulton, Knox,
Logan, Macoupin, Mason, McLean, Menard, Montgomery, Peoria,
Sangamon, Tazewell and Woodford in central Illinois; and Franklin,
Jackson, Johnson, Massac and Williamson in Southern Illinois.
“In the days since the Memorial Day weekend we have seen a ten
percent increase in COVID-19 across Illinois, reversing the downward
trend of the previous two weeks,” said IDPH Acting Director Amaal
Tokars. “This uptick is a cause for concern – and serves as a
reminder to all of us, especially as we are approaching the coming
Father’s Day and Juneteenth weekend, that we can all do our part to
fight the virus and protect our friends and family who are
vulnerable to severe outcomes by taking some simple actions. The
most effective way to prevent severe illness is for all to be up-to
date with vaccinations and boosters. This is especially important
for elders and persons who are immunocompromised or have complex
medical conditions. Wear your mask in indoor public places and avoid
indoor crowded spaces. If needed, contact a healthcare provider
promptly to discuss what treatment is right for you.”
In addition, Tokars said anyone who is sick should
stay home. Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed to the virus
or is experiencing symptoms, should test themselves before visiting
with loved ones.
The CDC recommends the following measures for people in areas that
are rated at High Community Level for COVID-19 transmission:
Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of
vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor
community settings)
If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease:
Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection
Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities
in public where you could be exposed
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take
other precautions
Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or
access to testing)
[to top of second column] |
IF YOU TEST POSITIVE: Talk to your healthcare provider about whether
you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, and
monoclonal antibodies
If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk
for severe disease
consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including
getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of
COVID-19
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.
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 22,485,224 vaccines have been administered in Illinois.
The seven-day rolling average of vaccines administered daily is
11,813 doses. Since June 3, 82,691 doses were reported administered
in Illinois. Of Illinois’ total population, more than 76% has
received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, 69% of Illinois’ total
population is fully vaccinated, and almost 53% 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.
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] |
