Illinois crosses 3 million people fully vaccinated against COVID-19

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,536 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 31 additional deaths Wednesday, and a total of 7,482,650 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

For Tuesday, the state reported administering 138,538 shots.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate decreased from 4.3% to 4.2%. The state received the results of 88,390 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,288,934 total cases of the virus, and 21,570 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 21,371,760 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Tuesday, Illinois had 2,076 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the most since Feb. 9. Of those, 453 were in intensive care units, and 198 were on ventilators.

To see definitions of key terms used in our COVID-19 updates, read this article titled, “Feeling lost in keeping up with the news?”

Vaccine update: As of Wednesday, the IDPH reported a total of 9,386,135 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 7,482,650 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 3,028,145 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 23.77%. 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: 21.55%

Suburban Cook: 24.28%

Lake: 21.26%

McHenry: 20.30%

DuPage: 25.67%

Kane: 21.25%

Will: 20.10%

Kendall: 21.98%

La Salle: 19.32%

Grundy: 22.27%

DeKalb: 17.80%

Ogle: 20.95%

Lee: 21.74%

Whiteside: 21.73%

Bureau: 20.52%

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, 75.57% 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, 46.49% 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% 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 81 consecutive days below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate increased to 4.7%. Currently, 37% 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 increased to 8.8%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.6%.

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

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen 84 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 7.4%. Currently, 24% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average increased to 8.4% and DuPage County’s decreased to 6.9%.

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

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 86 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.1%. Currently, 24% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations have increased eight 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 89 days. The region’s positivity rate increased to 6.9%.

Currently, 18% of ICU beds are available. This is the second straight day this region is under 20% ICU capacity.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate increased to 7.3%, Lee County’s rate increased to 2.0%, and Whiteside County’s increased to 9.2%.

Hospitalizations have increased 10 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 90 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 7.3%.

Currently, only 18% of ICU beds are available. Wednesday marked the sixth consecutive day the region was under 20%.

Hospitalizations have increased for 10 out of the past 10 days.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 4.3%.

Chicago has seen 84 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 5.7%.

Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen 84 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate increased to 5.6%.

Currently, 18% of ICU beds are available. Wednesday marked the second straight day the region was under 20% ICU capacity. 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:

• Carroll County: 1 male 70s

• Cook County: 1 female 20s, 1 female 30s, 1 female 50s, 3 males 60s, 1 female 70s, 4 males 70s, 2 females 80s, 3 males 80s

• DuPage County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 90s

• Kane County: 1 male 30s

• Lake County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s

• Madison County: 1 male 70s

• McHenry County: 1 female 90s

• Peoria County: 1 female 40s

• Richland County: 1 female 60s

• Tazewell County: 1 male 80s

• Vermilion County: 1 female 30s, 1 female 70s

• Whiteside County: 1 female 30s

• Will County: 1 male 80s