New COVID-19 cases in Will County appear to be declining

Will County has lowered its COVID-19 case rate over the past week, after more than two months of increases.

The county is recording just under 42 cases per 100,000 residents over a seven-day rolling average, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

That’s down from a recent high of 53 cases per 100,000 residents the county was recording as of May 16. The case rate in Will County has tended to mirror that of the state as a whole, which is also seeing cases decline in recent days.

Still, Will County is experiencing a “medium level” of community spread, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Sue Olenek, the executive director of the Will County Health Department, said in a statement the recent increase in cases “is beginning to stress our health care system.”

In the South Suburban Region, which includes Will and Kankakee counties, about three-quarters of intensive care unit beds were being utilized as of Monday, according to the IDPH.

Silver Cross Hospital in New Lenox reported Tuesday that it had 29 patients with COVID-19, a recent high over the past two months. The number is far off the all-time high of COVID-19 patients the hospital saw during the height of the omicron wave in January.

“We continue to recommend that people be as diligent as ever in helping to stop the spread of the virus,” Olenek said.

Just over 65% of Will County’s nearly 700,000 residents are fully vaccinated for COVID-19, and just under 70% have received at least one dose.

The parents of children under 5 years old are still waiting for authorization of a vaccine for their kids.

Regulators have authorized another Pfizer or Moderna booster for those age 50 and older.

For more information on COVID-19 and where to find the nearest vaccine clinic, visit willcountyhealth.org.