Variant COVID-19 cases in Illinois near 500; another 102,215 vaccines administered

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 2,449 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 14 additional deaths Sunday, and a total of 6,290,822 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

The state reported administering 102,215 shots on Saturday.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate stayed flat at 3.8%. The state received the results of 64,116 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Sunday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,256,634 total cases of the virus, and 21,373 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 20,626,612 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Saturday, Illinois had 1,491 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 336 were in intensive care units, the most since Feb. 25, and 143 were on ventilators.

Variant cases increase: The state is also up to 494 confirmed variant virus cases, an increase of 143 from Thursday. The state updates confirmed variant cases on Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

A majority of the increases came in the B.1.1.7 variant, commonly called the United Kingdom variant. The state is reporting 388 cases of B.1.1.7, an increase of 112 in three days.

There are 59 cases of the P.1 variant, commonly called the Brazilian variant; 44 confirmed cases of the B.1.427/429 variant, commonly called the California variant; and three confirmed cases of the B.1.351 variant, commonly called the South African variant. The P.1 variant passed up the B.1.427/429 variant as the second most prevalent variant in Illinois.

Vaccine update: As of Sunday, IDPH reported a total of 7,784,215 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 6,290,822 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 2,368,041 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 18.59%. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people.

There can be as much as a 72-hour delay in reporting from healthcare providers on vaccines administered.

In northern Illinois, here is the percentage of the population fully vaccinated by county:

Chicago: 15.94%

Suburban Cook: 18.72%

Lake: 16.13%

McHenry: 15.49%

DuPage: 19.67%

Kane: 16.31%

Will: 15.50%

Kendall: 17.56%

La Salle: 15.84%

Grundy: 15.80%

DeKalb: 13.42%

Ogle: 16.57%

Lee: 16.88%

Whiteside: 16.52%

Bureau: 16.30%

Bridge update: According to Gov. JB Pritzker’s plan announced March 18, the state needs 70% of Illinois residents ages 65 and older to have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine before it can advance to the state’s “bridge plan” that will open up capacity limits on all businesses. The state’s bridge plan remains on pause because of a continued rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases.

As of Sunday, 71.91% of those 65 and older had received one dose of the vaccine, according to the state’s dashboard.

Also, according to the state’s dashboard, 39.88% of Illinois residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Regional update: Currently, all 11 of the state’s health regions are in Phase 4 of the state’s reopening plan.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen 71 consecutive days below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 3.5%. Currently, 39% of ICU beds are available.

The region has never dropped below the 20% threshold for ICU bed availability since tracking began.

Within this region, McHenry County’s seven-day positivity rate average decreased to 5.6%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.1%.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable eight out of the past 10 days in this region.

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen 74 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.2%. Currently, 36% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average increased to 6.7% and DuPage County’s increased to 6.0%.

Hospitalizations have increased eight out of the past 10 days in this region.

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 76 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 4.4%. Currently, 28% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

The North region (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) has maintained a positivity rate below 8% for 79 days. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 5.3%. Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate increased to 4.4%, Lee County’s rate decreased to 1.3%, and Whiteside County’s decreased to 7.2%.

Hospitalizations have increased nine out of the past 10 days in this region.

The North-Central region (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) has seen 80 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.2%.

Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have increased for nine out of the past 10 days.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased almost a full percentage point to 4.1%.

Chicago has seen 74 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 4.9%.

Currently, 23% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen 74 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 4.9%.

Currently, 21% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

Regional data from the IDPH remains on a three-day lag.

To see how other regions across the state are doing, see the full IDPH dashboard here.

Newly reported deaths include:

• Cook County: 2 males 50s, 1 male 60s, 3 females 70s, 1 male 70s, 2 females 80s, 1 male 90s

• Kankakee County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 90s

• Madison County: 1 female 80s

• Tazewell County: 1 female 40s