In early May, Chicago reached its highest number of daily cases during the coronavirus pandemic so far, crossing 4,000 cases in a massive and unprecedented one-day spike.
May 12 continues to hold the single-day record for new cases in Illinois, recording 4,014 new infections in 24 hours. At the time, the state saw 29,266 test results, making for a one-day positivity rate of 13.7%.
That marked the one and only day Illinois crossed 4,000 cases so far this pandemic. The next highest was 3,239 cases reported just two days later.
The only other time the state crossed even 3,000 daily cases was May 1.
The state went on to slow its curve and begin further reopening as case numbers and positivity rates declined significantly.
But as numbers rose throughout July and the state's governor warned things are going "in the wrong direction," here's a look at how things compare now.
Health officials in Illinois reported nearly 1,300 new cases of coronavirus Monday, along with 10 additional deaths attributed to the virus.
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According to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health, the 1,298 new cases bring the total number of coronavirus cases since the pandemic began to 183,241.
Monday's 10 additional fatalities bring the state’s death toll to 7,526, according to IDPH.
The number of coronavirus tests dropped from a day earlier, with 28,475 test samples returned to state laboratories over the last 24 hours. That number is roughly 10,000 less than Sunday's testing number and well below the nearly 50,000 tests reported Friday.
It gives Monday a single-day positivity rate of 4.5%.
On Friday, however, the state reported more than 1,900 new cases and nearly 50,000 tests with a daily positivity rate of just 3.8%. The 1,900 cases marked the highest total of the month so far, but it also marked a testing record for the state.
The state’s seven-day positivity rate rose Monday, reaching 4% for the first time in recent weeks. The last time the state went above 4 percent in that category was on June 11, according to data compiled by the NBC 5 Investigates team.
While it's clear the state is far from the numbers it saw earlier in the pandemic, the positivity rate's gradual increase has marked concern.
"We're at a danger point, everybody," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday morning while speaking in Peoria County. "Pay attention. Now is the time to wear your mask properly."
