COVID-19 hospitalizations continue to rise in Illinois, approaching mid-February levels

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 2,102 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 11 additional deaths Monday, and a total of 6,318,070 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

For Sunday, 27,248 doses were reported administered in Illinois. However, reporting by some providers may be delayed for Sunday, according to a news release from IDPH.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate stayed flat at 3.8%. The state received the results of 59,586 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Monday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,258,736 total cases of the virus, and 21,384 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 20,686,198 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Sunday, Illinois had 1,581 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the most since Feb. 18. Of those, 358 were in intensive care units, the most since Feb. 22 and 159 were on ventilators, the most since Feb. 26.

Vaccine update: As of Monday, IDPH reported a total of 7,784,215 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 6,318,070 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 2,380,773 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 health care providers on vaccines administered.

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

Chicago: 16.16%

Suburban Cook: 18.84%

Lake: 16.17%

McHenry: 15.54%

DuPage: 19.77%

Kane: 16.34%

Will: 15.56%

Kendall: 17.59%

La Salle: 15.89%

Grundy: 15.83%

DeKalb: 13.43%

Ogle: 16.60%

Lee: 16.90%

Whiteside: 16.54%

Bureau: 16.33%

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 Monday, 72.01% 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, 40.03% 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.

For regions experiencing a resurgence of COVID-19, Tier 1 mitigations may be applied in either of these two scenarios:

• If a region’s test positivity rate is greater than or equal to 8 percent for three consecutive days (measured with the 7-day rolling average)

• If a region experiences both a sustained increase in test positivity rate (measured with the 7-day rolling average for 7 of 10 days) and hospital capacity is threatened, which is measured by either:

A. A sustained increase in the number of COVID patients in the hospital (measured with the 7-day average for 7 of 10 days), or

B. Staffed ICU bed availability falls below 20 percent for three consecutive days (measured with the 7-day rolling average)

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen 72 consecutive days below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 3.4%. Currently, 40% 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 5.5%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.0%.

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 75 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.5%. Currently, 36% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average increased to 7.2% and DuPage County’s increased to 6.2%.

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

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 77 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 4.6%. Currently, 26% 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 80 days. The region’s positivity rate increased almost a full percentage point to 6.1%. Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate increased to 4.7%, Lee County’s rate increased a full point-and-a-half to 2.8%, and Whiteside County’s increased to 7.7%.

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 81 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.5%.

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 stayed flat at 4.1%.

Chicago has seen 75 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 5.0%.

Currently, 24% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen 75 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 5.1%.

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 females 70s, 2 males 70s, 3 males 80s

• DuPage County: 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s

• Lake County: 1 female 70s, 1 female 80s