March 28, 2024
Coronavirus

Illinois nears 4 million residents fully vaccinated against COVID-19

State’s confirmed variant cases see a big increase

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 3,394 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 38 additional deaths Thursday, and a total of 9,155,989 COVID-19 vaccines have been administered.

For Wednesday, the state administered 107,689 shots.

The seven-day rolling average of Illinois’ positivity rate increased from 3.4% to 3.5%. The state received the results of 89,057 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Thursday afternoon.

Illinois has seen 1,331,848 total cases of the virus, and 21,927 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 22,558,270 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Wednesday, Illinois had 2,115 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 475 were in intensive care units, and 231 were on ventilators.

Vaccine update: As of Thursday, the IDPH reported that a total of 11,546,345 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 9,155,989 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 3,966,970 Illinoisans have been fully vaccinated, or 31.14% of the population. 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: 28.89%

Suburban Cook: 32.53%

Lake: 28.18%

McHenry: 27.42%

DuPage: 34.71%

Kane: 27.60%

Will: 27.99%

Kendall: 28.87%

La Salle: 25.63%

Grundy: 28.97%

DeKalb: 25.68%

Ogle: 28.31%

Lee: 29.52%

Whiteside: 27.26%

Bureau: 27.82%

Variant cases increase: Confirmed COVID-19 variant cases in the state increased to 3,137 total, an increase of 515 from Tuesday.

The majority of variant cases are the B.1.1.7 variant, commonly called the United Kingdom variant, with 2,069 confirmed cases as of Thursday. There are 679 cases of the P.1 variant, commonly called the Brazilian variant.

The total number of cases of the B.1.427/429 variant, commonly called the California variant, is now up to 350, and there are 39 confirmed cases of the B.1.351 variant, commonly called the South African variant.

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 phase that will open up capacity limits on all businesses. The state’s bridge phase remains on pause because of a continued rise in COVID-19 hospitalizations.

As of Wednesday, 78.94% 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, 53.85% of Illinois residents 16 and older have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

As new hospital admissions continue to decline, the state’s dashboard officially on Wednesday changed new hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness from “increasing” to “no significant change.” The lone metric holding the state back from the bridge phase is total hospitalizations, which remain on an “increasing” trend.

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

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

The North Suburban region (McHenry and Lake counties) has seen 96 consecutive days below 8% for its COVID-19 test positivity rate. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 4.0%. Currently, 28% 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 7.9%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 3.0%.

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

The West Suburban region (DuPage and Kane counties) has seen 99 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 5.6%. Currently, 23% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity average decreased to 6.9% and DuPage County’s stayed flat at 5.0%.

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

The South Suburban region (Will and Kankakee counties) has seen 101 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 5.5%. Currently, 22% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations have decreased 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 103 days. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 5.0%.

Currently, 13% of ICU beds are available. Thursday is the 17th straight day this region is under 20% ICU capacity.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate decreased to 5.2%, Lee County’s rate increased to 1.6%, and Whiteside County’s decreased to 4.1%.

Hospitalizations have decreased seven 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 104 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate decreased to 5.1%.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 5.4%.

Currently, only 16% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have decreased for seven out of the past 10 days.

Chicago has seen 98 consecutive days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 4.7%.

Currently, 21% of ICU beds are available.

Suburban Cook County has seen 98 days below 8%. The region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 4.8%.

Currently, 19% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations have decreased eight 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, 2 males 40s, 2 males 50s, 3 females 60s, 3 females 80s, 3 males 80s, 1 female 90s

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

• Kane County: 1 male 80s

• Kankakee County: 1 male 60s

• Kendall County: 1 male 60s

• Lake County: 1 female 80s

• La Salle County: 1 female 70s

• Livingston County: 1 female 80s

• Macon County: 1 male 50s

• Ogle County: 1 male 90s

• St. Clair County: 1 female 80s, 1 male 80s, 2 females 90s

• Tazewell County: 1 male 30s, 1 female 70s, 1 male 70s

• Will County: 1 female 70s

• Winnebago County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 80s

• Woodford County: 1 male 60s, 1 male 70s

John Sahly

John Sahly

John Sahly is the digital editor for the Shaw Local News Network. He has been with Shaw Media since 2008, previously serving as the Northwest Herald's digital editor, and the Daily Chronicle sports editor and sports reporter.