Illinois administers another 131,411 vaccines; 3,170 new virus cases announced

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,170 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 33 additional deaths Thursday, and a total of 8,473,953 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

For Wednesday, the state administered 131,411 shots.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate stayed flat at 3.8%. The state received the results of 88,336 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,312,722 total cases of the virus, and 21,755 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 22,008,695 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Wednesday, Illinois had 2,147 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 511 were in intensive care units, and 238 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 Thursday, IDPH reported a total of 10,581,985 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 8,473,953 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 3,572,205 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 28.04%. 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: 26.42%

Suburban Cook: 29.03%

Lake: 25.13%

McHenry: 24.29%

DuPage: 30.91%

Kane: 24.67%

Will: 24.69%

Kendall: 25.85%

La Salle: 22.91%

Grundy: 26.03%

DeKalb: 22.48%

Ogle: 25.23%

Lee: 26.40%

Whiteside: 24.83%

Bureau: 24.70%

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 Thursday, 77.62% 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, 50.99% of Illinois residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

Variant cases increase: The state is also up to 1,780 confirmed variant virus cases, an increase of 195 from Tuesday. 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 1,286 cases of B.1.1.7.

There are 367 cases of the P.1 variant, commonly called the Brazilian variant; 106 confirmed cases of the B.1.427/429 variant, commonly called the California variant; and 21 confirmed cases of the B.1.351 variant, commonly called the South African variant.

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).

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

Confused about the different tiers and phases of the governor’s COVID-19 response? Read how a region can advance through the tiers and into Phase 4 here.

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen 89 consecutive days below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 4.2%. Currently, 33% 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 7.7%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.3%.

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

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen 92 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 6.0%. Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average decreased to 7.5%, and DuPage County’s decreased to 5.2%.

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

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 94 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 5.9%. Currently, 23% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations have increased nine 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 96 days. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 6.6%.

Currently, 16% of ICU beds are available. Thursday is the ninth straight day this region is under 20% ICU capacity.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate decreased to 6.8%, Lee County’s rate stayed flat at 1.8%, and Whiteside County’s decreased to 7.0%.

Hospitalizations have increased eight 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 98 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 6.6%.

Currently, only 16% of ICU beds are available. Thursday marked the 14th consecutive day the region was under 20%.

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

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate decreased to 5.2%.

Chicago has seen 92 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 5.3%.

Currently, 21% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen 92 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate went down to 5.2%.

Currently, 19% of ICU beds are available. Thursday marked the 10th straight day the region was under 20% ICU capacity. Hospitalizations have increased nine 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:

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

• DuPage County: 1 female 80s

• Effingham County: 1 female 60s

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

• Lake County: 3 females 60s, 1 male 80s

• La Salle County: 1 male 40s

• Macon County: 1 male 80s

• Massac County: 1 male 60s

• McHenry County: 1 female 70s

• McLean County: 1 female 80s

• Peoria County: 1 male 80s

• Stephenson County: 1 female 40s

• Vermilion County: 1 male 70s

• Whiteside County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 60s

• Woodford County: 1 female 80s