COVID by the Numbers: Regional Metrics Soar as Illinois Sets Case, Hospitalization Records

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Illinois continues to set records in both new COVID cases and in hospitalizations related to the virus, with the state now averaging more than 23,000 new cases per day and reporting nearly 6,300 patients in hospitals as of Monday.

Illinois health officials reported 20,866 new COVID cases over the last 24 hours, bringing the state’s daily average to 23,069 new cases per day over the last seven days.

In the last week, the state’s average number of new cases per day has increased by more than 58%, according to IDPH data.

Officials reported 30 new deaths in the last 24 hours, with 27,998 deaths now linked to COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Another 3,214 deaths are considered “probable” COVID-19 fatalities.

While the state did report 118,837 new tests in the last 24 hours, the state’s testing rate has decreased in the last seven days, falling to 180,669 per day.

Statewide, the positivity rate on all tests stands at 12.8%, while the positivity rate on individuals tested has risen to 17.5%, according to IDPH data.

Gov. JB Pritzker, along with Illinois health care officials, said in a COVID update to the state that they worry coronavirus numbers will get worse before improving again. NBC 5 political reporter Mary Ann Ahern reports.

Meanwhile, hospitalizations hit a new all-time record in Illinois on Monday, with 6,294 patients currently testing positive for COVID while in Illinois hospitals. Of those patients, 1,086 are in intensive care units, the most the state has seen since Dec. 2020.

At the regional level, all 11 of the state’s health care regions are seeing rapid increases in positivity rates and in hospitalizations. In Region 7, comprised of Will and Kankakee counties, the positivity rate is at 20.7%, the highest in the state.

The region also has the lowest ICU bed availability, with just six ICU beds open out of 133 staffed beds.

In Region 2, comprised of counties in west and central Illinois, the positivity rate is at 19.1%, while in Region 4, located near St. Louis, the positivity rate is at 19.8%, according to IDPH data.

Region 5, located in southern Illinois, currently has seven ICU beds open for new patients, while nine are available in Region 1, located in the northwestern portion of the state.

The omicron variant has changed some of what many came to know about the coronavirus and how it spreads, but now with new guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, some are wondering when they are most contagious and for how long after contracting the virus?

Here are the latest metrics from each of Illinois’ 11 health care regions.

Region 1 (Northwest Illinois):

Positivity Rate – 16.1% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 6% (steady)

Hospitalization Trends – 9/10 days increasing

Region 2 (West-Central Illinois):

Positivity Rate – 19.1% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 12% (increasing)

Hospitalization Trends – 10/10 days increasing

Region 3 (West Illinois):

Positivity Rate – 16.9% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 7% (increasing)

Hospitalization Trends – 7/10 days increasing

Region 4 (Southwest Illinois):

Positivity Rate – 19.8% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 14% (decreasing)

Hospitalization Trends – 8/10 days increasing

Region 5 (South Illinois):

Positivity Rate – 11.8% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 10% (steady)

Hospitalization Trends – 8/10 days increasing

Region 6 (East-Central Illinois):

Positivity Rate – 16.7% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 10% (increasing)

Hospitalization Trends – 8/10 days increasing

Region 7 (Will, Kankakee Counties):

Positivity Rate – 20.7% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 4% (steady)

Hospitalization Trends – 10/10 days increasing

Region 8 (Kane, DuPage Counties):

Positivity Rate – 19.4% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 13% (decreasing)

Hospitalization Trends – 10/10 days increasing

Region 9 (McHenry, Lake Counties):

Positivity Rate – 16.2% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 15% (decreasing)

Hospitalization Trends – 7/10 days increasing

Region 10 (Suburban Cook County):

Positivity Rate – 18.3% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 10% (decreasing)

Hospitalization Trends – 10/10 days increasing

Region 11 (Chicago):

Positivity Rate – 18.5% (increasing)

ICU Bed Availability – 11% (steady)

Hospitalization Trends – 10/10 days increasing

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