Data: Unvaccinated COVID-19 patients continue to drive overwhelming majority of spiking hospitalizations

The Illinois Department of Public Health reported 509 breakthrough COVID-19 hospitalizations for the past week, and 92 breakthrough deaths.

Illinois has seen a continued increase in total COVID-19 hospitalizations – a 30% increase in the past week alone – eclipsing 5,400 total active hospitalized patients for the first time since December 2020.

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. It does not take into account booster shots.

Analysis of new hospital admissions for COVID-19-like illness in the state over the past week put breakthrough hospitalizations at 16.48% of all COVID-19 hospitalizations in Illinois in the past week. This means those who are not fully vaccinated made up 83.52% of COVID-19 hospital admissions in the past week. Breakthrough deaths accounted for 24.4% of all COVID-19 deaths in Illinois last week.

COVID-19-like illness is defined as a if a patient presents with a fever and either cough, difficulty breathing or is given a diagnosis of COVID-19.

There have been a total of 5,808 breakthrough hospitalizations, and 7,698,329 of the state’s population is fully vaccinated. Of the fully vaccinated population in the state, 99.925% have not been hospitalized with a breakthrough COVID-19 infection.

There have been 1,521 total breakthrough COVID-19 deaths in Illinois.

The IDPH also released new data about breakthrough hospitalizations and deaths, showing the majority of breakthrough hospitalizations happening in the elderly population.

For breakthrough hospitalizations:

71% are 65 or older (4,096 total breakthrough hospitalizations in this group)

29% are between 18 and 64 years old (1,695 total breakthrough hospitalizations in this group)

Fewer than 1% are younger than 17 years old (14 total breakthrough hospitalizations in this group)

72% have at least one underlying condition or are immunocompromised

For breakthrough deaths:

87% were 65 or older

13% were between 18 and 64

55% had at least one underlying condition or were immunocompromised

The IDPH reported 21,098 new confirmed and probable cases of COVID-19 and 50 additional deaths Wednesday.

Illinois is averaging 16,686 new coronavirus cases per day over the past week, the highest average at any point of the pandemic.

For Tuesday, the state administered 71,488 shots.

The state received the results of 220,841 COVID-19 tests in the 24 hours leading up to Wednesday afternoon. The state’s positivity rate went up to 9.1%

Illinois has seen 2,119,162 total cases of the virus, and 27,734 people have died. The state has conducted a total of 44,273,181 tests since the start of the pandemic.

As of late Tuesday, Illinois had 5,471 COVID-19 patients in the hospital, the most since Dec. 2, 2020. Of those, 984 were in intensive care units, and 556 were on ventilators.

Vaccine update: As of Wednesday, the IDPH reported a total of 21,322,215 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been distributed statewide, with 19,106,181 vaccines administered.

As of Wednesday, 7,698,329 Illinoisans have been fully vaccinated, or 60.42% of the population. Illinois has a population of 12,741,080 people.

Illinois is now up to 3,036,851 people who have received a booster vaccine dose, or 23.8% of the state’s population. Among 5-11 year olds, who became eligible for a vaccine in November, 27.56% of that age group in the state have received at least one dose, while 18.74% are fully vaccinated.

Among Illinois residents 5 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 8,137,671 (68.2%)

At Least 1 Dose: 9,150,166 (76.7%)

Among Illinois residents 12 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 7,920,531 (73.1%)

At Least 1 Dose: 8,826,843 (81.4%)

Among Illinois residents 18 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 7,346,296 (74.6%)

At Least 1 Dose: 8,188,317 (83.1%)

Among Illinois residents 65 and older:

Fully Vaccinated: 1,776,564 (86.9%)

At Least 1 Dose: 1,950,796 (95%)

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: 62.66%

Suburban Cook: 66.74%

Lake: 64.28%

McHenry: 61.20%

DuPage: 70.63%

Kane: 60.95%

Will: 61.37%

Kendall: 63.16%

La Salle: 54.16%

Grundy: 53.23%

DeKalb: 52.56%

Ogle: 52.52%

Lee: 55.23%

Whiteside: 48.76%

Bureau: 52.29%

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 increased to 10.9%. Currently, 20% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, McHenry County’s seven-day positivity rate average increased to 12.9%. Lake County, which does about two-thirds of the testing in the region, is reporting a rolling average of 10.0%.

Hospitalizations have decreased or remained stable seven out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to a total of 229 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The West Suburban (DuPage and Kane counties) region’s positivity rate increased to 13.0%. Currently, 19% of ICU beds are available.

Within this region, Kane County’s seven-day positivity rate increased to 13.2%, and DuPage County’s increased to 12.9%.

Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable two out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to 471 total COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

The South Suburban (Will and Kankakee counties) region’s positivity rate increased to 14.7%. Currently, 6% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable two out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to 268 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 increased to 10.6%.

Currently, 6.5% of ICU beds are available. Five more ICU beds opened up in the region overnight, making for nine total staffed ICU beds available out of 137 total.

Within this region, DeKalb County’s positivity rate increased to 13.2%, Lee County’s rate decreased to 7.1%, and Whiteside County’s went up to 6.8%.

Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable two out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is up to 292 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 increased to 12.6%.

Within this region, La Salle County’s seven-day positivity rate decreased to 9.7%. Currently, 11% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable for two out of the past 10 days. The region is up to a total of 461 COVID-19 patients in the hospital.

Chicago’s positivity rate increased to 14.1%. Currently, 12% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable for one out of the past 10 days.

Suburban Cook County’s positivity rate increased to 13.1%. Currently, 12% of ICU beds are available. Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable one out of the past 10 days in this region.