The Chicago Department of Public Health is urging the public to take necessary precautions as hospitalizations related to COVID-19 increase in the area.
According to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cook County is part of an area currently at a “medium” level of COVID hospitalizations, leading officials to ask residents to take steps to protect themselves from the virus.
According to CDPH, residents are urged to:
-Staying up-to-date with their COVID vaccinations.
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-Maintaining improvements in ventilation in indoor spaces.
-Avoiding contact with those who have COVID, or who suspect they have the virus.
-Follow guidance for COVID exposure, or if they’ve been diagnosed with the virus.
Those at high-risk of adverse health outcomes are also encouraged to wear masks in indoor public spaces.
Some areas of Illinois are seeing decreases in cases and hospitalizations, including parts of the western and southern suburbs, according to CDC data.
Here are the latest figures from the CDC, updated through Dec. 23.
McHenry, Lake, DuPage and Cook Counties:
-738 new COVID hospital admissions in last week (13.9% increase over previous week)
-10.4 new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents (medium hospitalization level)
DeKalb, Kane, Kendall, Grundy and Will Counties:
-58 new COVID hospital admissions in last week (7.9% decrease)
-7.6 new hospitalizations per 100,000 residents (low level)
LaSalle County:
-6 new COVID hospital admissions in last week (57.1% decrease)
-3.3 new admissions per 100,000 residents (low level)
Kankakee County:
-26 new COVID hospital admissions in last week (8.3% increase)
-10 admissions per 100,000 residents (medium level)
