COVID-19 hospitalizations back more than 1,700 in Illinois as state administers another 139,724 vaccine doses

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,790 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 28 additional deaths Wednesday, and a total of 6,552,982 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

For Tuesday, 139,724 doses were reported administered in Illinois, the third most in a single day for the state so far.

The 3,790 new COVID-19 cases is the most in a single day since Jan. 29.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate increased from 3.9% to 4.1%. The state received the results of 80,628 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,265,457 total cases of the virus, and 21,423 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 20,818,451 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Tuesday, Illinois had 1,710 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the most since February 16. Of those, 353 were in intensive care units, and 142 were on ventilators.

Vaccine update: As of Tuesday, IDPH reported a total of 8,423,825 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 6,552,982 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 2,494,691 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 19.58%. 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: 17.13%

Suburban Cook: 19.77%

Lake: 17.00%

McHenry: 16.20%

DuPage: 20.62%

Kane: 16.91%

Will: 16.35%

Kendall: 18.46%

La Salle: 16.33%

Grundy: 16.11%

DeKalb: 14.32%

Ogle: 17.67%

Lee: 17.17%

Whiteside: 18.05%

Bureau: 16.54%

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 Wednesday, 72.87% 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, 41.42% 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-19 patients in the hospital (measured with the 7-day average for 7 of 10 days), or

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

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen 74 consecutive days below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate increased to 3.6%. 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 5.4%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.3%.

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

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen 77 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.9%. Currently, 35% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average increased to 7.6% and DuPage County’s increased to 6.6%.

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

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 79 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 5.0%. Currently, 24% 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 82 days. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 5.9%. Currently, 21% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate decreased to 4.7%, Lee County’s rate decreased by more than a full percentage point to 1.3%, and Whiteside County’s decreased to 7.3%.

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 83 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.8%.

Currently, 21% 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 decreased more than a full percentage point to 4.1%.

Chicago has seen 77 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 5.1%.

Currently, 25% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen 77 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 5.2%.

Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have increased 10 out of the past 10 days in this region.

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

Newly reported deaths include:

• Adams County: 1 male 70s

• Cook County: 1 male 30s, 1 male 50s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s

• DuPage County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s

• Lake County: 1 female 70s

• Lawrence County: 1 male 60s

• Livingston County: 1 female 90s

• Madison County: 1 male 70s

• Marion County: 1 male 60s

• McLean County: 1 male 60s

• Menard County: 1 female 70s

• Rock Island County: 1 male 70s, 1 female 80s

• St. Clair County: 1 female 60s

• Wayne County: 1 male 60s

• White County: 1 male 50s

• Will County: 1 male 60s, 2 males 70s, 1 female 80s

• Winnebago County: 1 female 60s