COVID-19 surge continues across Sauk Valley

Coronavirus cases continue to rise across the Sauk Valley as the region is seeing record case numbers and hospitalizations.

As of Monday, Whiteside County had 1,036 cases during the last 7 days, according to the most recent information available from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention COVID-19 data tracker.

There were 996 cases the week before, a 213% increase compared to the previous week, and the case rate was 36 times higher than the CDC’s case rate of 50 per 100k at which all individuals, vaccinated and unvaccinated, are recommended to mask in indoor public locations, according to the Whiteside County Health Department.

The positivity rate for the last 7 days was 24.25% and the case rate is 1,877.66 per 100,000 people. There were also 26 hospitalizations.

Lee County saw 688 cases compared to 575 cases the previous week and is at a 23.11% positivity rate. The case rate is 2,017.83 per 100,000 people.

All counties are at high risk for transmission.

Ogle County had 881 cases across the week compared to 770 the week before with a positivity rate of 22.58% and a case rate of 1,739.63 per 100,000 people and six new hospital admissions.

Carroll County cases increased to 209 compared to 138 cases the prior week, a positivity rate of 12.4% and a case rate of 1,461 per 100,000 people.

Whiteside County has administered 67,397 total doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, with 27,668 people (49.74%) fully vaccinated. Lee County has had 47,894 doses, with 19,321 people (56.46%) fully vaccinated. Carroll County has administered 15,844 vaccine doses, with 6,596 people (45.09%) fully vaccinated. Ogle County has had 68,176 doses, with 27,511 people (54.02%) fully vaccinated.

The North (Boone, Carroll, DeKalb, Jo Daviess, Lee, Ogle, Stephenson, Whiteside and Winnebago counties) region’s positivity rate decreased to 19.8%.

Currently, 7% of ICU beds are available.

Hospitalizations decreased or remained stable eight out of the past 10 days in this region. The region is down to 313 total COVID-19 hospitalizations.