coronavirus illinois

Despite Recent Coronavirus Increases, Illinois' Positivity Rate Better Than That of Neighbors

NBCUniversal, Inc.

Even with positivity rates on the rise in Illinois, the state is still outpacing all of its neighbors and most of the Midwest in that statistic.

According to research conducted by NBC 5 Investigates, Illinois has a lower seven-day positivity rate than every state that it shares a border with, and the only state that is currently doing better than Illinois in the Midwest is Michigan.

Currently, Illinois’ seven-day positivity rate checks in at 4.2% after ticking slightly upward on Monday. That is significantly better than all other bordering states, with Kentucky’s 6.8% the closest to dethroning the Land of Lincoln in that category.

Wisconsin’s seven-day rate currently sits at 7.4%, while Indiana’s is at 8.1%. Missouri is seeing cases surge as its positivity rate is currently at 10.9%, with Iowa sitting in an even more precarious position at 11.2%, according to available data.

Other states in the Midwest are doing better than those states, with Ohio’s rate currently at 4.6% and Michigan’s at just 2.5% after being one of the states hardest hit during the opening days of the pandemic.

Minnesota’s seven-day positivity rate is at 7.2%.

Those numbers come as Illinois deals with its first region to trigger new coronavirus mitigation restrictions, as the Metro East region along the border with Missouri saw new rules implemented on Sunday. That region, which covers East St. Louis and borders St. Louis, has seen its positivity rate surge in recent weeks, currently sitting at nearly 9% over the last seven days.

That region is reporting 25.2 new cases per day per 100,000 people, according to NBC 5 Investigates. As a result, bars, restaurants and other businesses must close by 11 p.m., and gatherings must be limited to 25 or fewer people and 25% or less of a building’s capacity, whichever is lower.

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