On Wednesday, the state of Illinois reported its second-highest single-day increase in coronavirus cases, with 7,538 new cases reported in the last 24 hours.
That number is just the latest in a string of staggering statistics coming in from around the state, as health officials deal with a new surge in cases, hospitalizations, and deaths.
Here are the latest facts and figures from around the state as Illinois continues to see an explosion in new cases.
-The 7,538 new cases reported Wednesday in Illinois are the second-most reported in a single day during the pandemic. The current record for cases in a day was set on Saturday, when Illinois reported 7,899 new cases of the virus.
-Illinois has now reported at least 6,000 new coronavirus cases on each of the last eight days. Prior to this recent surge in cases, Illinois had topped 6,000 new cases in a day just once during the pandemic.
-Illinois is reporting more new cases than any other state in the nation, with 48,461 new cases of the virus in the last seven days. Texas, Wisconsin and California are also in the top five, according to data compiled by the NBC 5 Investigates team.
-The state is also reporting 54.6 new cases every day per 100,000 residents. For context, the city of Chicago requires visitors from other states to quarantine for two weeks if they’re coming from an area that is averaging 15 new cases per day per 100,000 residents.
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-According to NBC 5 Investigates, Illinois is averaging 45 new coronavirus-related deaths per day. At that rate, the state will likely cross a sobering milestone later this week, with 10,000 coronavirus-related fatalities possible within the next two days.
-According to IDPH Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike, Illinois has more than doubled its average number of deaths reported each day and its total hospitalizations due to the virus within the last month. As of midnight Wednesday, 3,761 patients are currently hospitalized in Illinois due to the virus, more than double the number that were in hospitals on Oct. 12.
