Breakthrough COVID-19 hospitalizations increase, still small number of new virus hospitalizations

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 218 breakthrough COVID-19 hospitalizations for the past week, and 95 breakthrough deaths.

The number of breakthrough hospitalizations increased by 79 week-over-week, and the number of breakthrough deaths increased by 46 week-over week.

Breakthrough is defined as an individual who tests positive for COVID-19 at least 14 days after being fully vaccinated and did not test positive in the previous 45 days.

There have been a total of 1,728 breakthrough hospitalizations, and 6,896,896 of the state’s population is fully vaccinated. Of the fully vaccinated population the state, 99.975% have not been hospitalized with a breakthrough COVID-19 infection.

Analysis of new hospital admissions for covid-like illness in the state over the past week put breakthrough hospitalizations at 14.1% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in Illinois in the past week, up from about 8.5% the week prior.

IDPH reported 4,194 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 44 additional deaths Wednesday.

For Tuesday, the state administered 22,812 shots.

The state received the results of 93,865 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday afternoon. The state’s positivity rate is 4.4%.

Illinois has seen 1,582,392 total cases of the virus, and 24,451 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 30,193,211 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Tuesday, Illinois had 2,229 COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Of those, 537 were in intensive care units, and 305 were on ventilators.

Hard-hit southern Illinois, Region 5, remains at zero ICU beds available. The number of staffed beds dropped from 88 to 87. IDPH told Shaw Local it was making more resources available to open up ICU beds in the region.

Vaccine update: As of Wednesday, IDPH reported a total of 16,848,375 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 14,241,348 vaccines administered.

As of the time this story was published, 6,896,896 of the population of Illinois have been fully vaccinated, or 54.13%. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people.

Among Illinois residents 12 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 6,613,120 (61%)

At Least 1 Dose: 8,496,426 (78.4%)

Among Illinois residents 18 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 6,172,307 (62.6%)

At Least 1 Dose: 7,878,513 (80%)

Among Illinois residents 65 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 1,583,277 (77.5%)

At Least 1 Dose: 1,927,173 (94.3%)

There can be as much as a 72-hour delay in reporting from healthcare providers on vaccines administered.

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

Chicago: 56.01%

Suburban Cook: 59.67%

Lake: 56.77%

McHenry: 54.81%

DuPage: 63.69%

Kane: 54.63%

Will: 54.64%

Kendall: 55.81%

La Salle: 48.45%

Grundy: 46.99%

DeKalb: 47.35%

Ogle: 47.03%

Lee: 50.28%

Whiteside: 45.50%

Bureau: 46.21%

Regional update: All 11 regions in the state are in Phase 5.

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

The North Suburban (McHenry and Lake counties) region’s positivity rate decreased to 4.1%. Currently, 17% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, McHenry County’s seven-day positivity rate average decreased to 4.4%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 4.0%.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable seven out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is down to a total of 138 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The West Suburban (DuPage and Kane counties) region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 4.3%. Currently, 24% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity rate decreased to 4.7%, and DuPage County’s stayed flat at 4.1%.

Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable 10 out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is down to 165 total COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The South Suburban (Will and Kankakee counties) region’s positivity rate stayed flat at 5.7%. Currently, 25% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable three out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is down to 124 total COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The North (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) region’s positivity rate went down to 5.7%.

Currently, 16% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate fell to 6.3%, Lee County’s rate increased to 2.6%, and Whiteside County’s stayed flat at 3.4%.

Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable three out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is down to 107 total COVID-19 hospitalizations.

The North-Central (Bureau, Fulton, Grundy, Henderson, Henry, Kendall, Knox, La Salle, Livingston, Marshall, McDonough, McLean, Mercer, Peoria, Putnam, Rock Island, Stark, Tazewell, Warren and Woodford counties) region’s positivity rate decreased to 5.5%.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 5.0%. Currently, 17% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable for six out of the past 10 days. The region is down to a total of 243 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

Chicago’s positivity rate fell to 3.3%. Currently, 18% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable for two out of the past 10 days.

Suburban Cook County’s positivity rate fell to 3.7%. Currently, 15% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable three out of the past 10 days in this region.